University  of  California  •  Berkeley 

Gift  of 
ARTHUR  L.  NORBERG 


HIS    WISDOM 
THE    DEFENDER 


BY    SIMON    NEWCOMB 


HARPER  &   BROTHERS 

New     York    and    London 

M-D-C-C-C-C 


Copyright,  1900,  by  HARPER  &  BROTHERS. 

All  rights  rtstnta. 


Contents 


PAGE 

PROLOGUE vii 

I.  AN  UNCANNY  WORKSHOP 1 

II.  THE  CITY  OP  THE  POTOMAC 16 

III.  AN  ITALIAN  ROMANCE 32 

IV.  THE  ANGELIC  ORDER  OF  SERAPHIM 44 

V.  THE  FIRST  MOTES 66 

VI.  MYSTERY  ON  MYSTERY 74 

VII.  AND  ANOTHER  FOR  THE  DUKE 92 

VIII.  THE  GREAT  UNVEILING 102 

IX.  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  SPACE 120 

X.  How  THE  WORLD  RECEIVED  THE  NEWS    ...  144 
XI.  THE  RED-HEADED  MAN  SCORES  THE  GREATEST 

"BEAT"  IN  THE  HISTORY  OF  JOURNALISM  .    .  165 

XII.  OUR  HERO  MAKES  A  CLEAN  BREAST     ....  187 

XIII.  THE  MYSTERIOUS  EXPEDITION  .  ,  .    .    .    .    .    .  206 

XIV.  THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  GERMAN  ARMIES.    ...  221 
XV.  A  CAPTIVE  EMPEROR 241 

XVI.  THE  NAVAL  ATTACK  ON  ELBA 257 

XVII.  THE  FRENCH  ATTEMPT  ON  THE  CYNTHIA  .    .    .  276 

XVIII.  AUSTRIA  THREATENS  CHECKMATE 293 

XIX.  THE  DAWN 304 

XX.  THE  PROCLAMATION 314 

XXI.  RAH  !  RAH  !  RAH  !  THE  DEFENDER  .  326 


Prologue 


WE  who  live  in  this  Golden  Age  never  tire  of 
comparing  our  happy  lot  with  the  backward  condition 
of  our  forefathers.  We  need  not  go  further  back 
than  the  beginning  of  the  century  now  closing  to 
see  the  striking  contrast  between  our  powers  over 
nature  and  theirs.  Did  we  not  have  historical  evi- 
dence of  the  fact,  it  would  be  scarcely  credible  to  the 
rising  generation  that  nearly  half  of  this  century 
had  elapsed  before  such  a  thing  as  a  mote  was  known 
or  even  imagined;  before  the  words  etherine  and 
therm  were  found  in  any  dictionary.  We  can  hard- 
ly imagine  what  a  dull  life  even  the  greatest  and 
most  powerful  men  must  have  lived.  President 
Reed  never  took  a  spin  round  the  world.  He  never 
saw  the  Antarctic  glacier,  or  even  knew  of  its  exist- 
ence. He  never  set  foot  upon  the  North  Pole.  He 
never  looked  down  on  the  clouds  from  the  window 
of  a  himote.  Had  any  one  told  him  that  before  he 
had  been  dead  thirty  years  it  would  be  an  every- 
day occurrence  for  a  merchant  to  talk  with  a  fur- 
rier in  Siberia  and  a  leather  dealer  in  Australia  on 

vti 


Prologue 

the  same  day,  he  would  have  looked  upon  the  speak- 
er as  Washington  would  have  looked  upon  a  prophet 
of  the  ocean  cable  and  what  men  would  do  with  it. 
The  idea  of  utilizing  the  action  of  ether  on  matter, 
simple  though  it  seems  to  us,  never  entered  the  mind 
of  any  nineteenth-century  philosopher. 

As  all  our  readers  are  aware,  the  history  of  the 
steps  by  which  the  Golden  Age  was  inaugurated,  and 
the  evils  which  afflicted  humanity  removed,  has  been 
enveloped  in  great  mystery.  We  well  know  that  the 
revolution  was  brought  about  by  the  first  Defender, 
whose  work,  for  reasons  which  he  deemed  imperative, 
was  carried  on  in  profound  secrecy.  But  recently 
his  successor  has  permitted  the  publication  of  a  great 
mass  of  historical  documents  bearing  on  the  subject. 
These  are,  however,  too  voluminous  to  be  read  by  a 
busy  man.  We  have,  therefore,  by  their  aid,  and  by 
a  diary  which  has  been  placed  at  our  disposal,  pre- 
pared a  brief  history  of  such  part  of  the  first  De- 
fender's life  and  work  as  has  hitherto  been  unknown 
to  the  public. 


His    Wisdom    the    Defender 


An   Uncanny  Workshop 


AiONG  the  historic  monuments  so  carefully 
•f 
preserved  in  the  university  town  of  Cam- 
bridge, in  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  the 
one  which  attracts  most  visitors  is,  in  its  aspect,  the 
least  attractive  of  all.  It  is  nothing  more  than  a 
long,  unsightly  old  house,  whose  sixty  feet  of  front 
are  unbroken  by  a  single  ornament.  Its  material  is 
the  rough  red  brick  of  the  early  years  of  the  century. 
The  joints  between  the  bricks  have  never  been  smooth- 
ed except  by  the  trowel  that  originally  fashioned 
them.  The  window-sills  and  caps  are  of  wood,  paint- 
ed white.  Not  even  a  branch  of  ivy  variegates  the 
walls  which,  at  the  top  of  their  three  stories,  are 
surmounted  by  an  old-fashioned  tile  roof,  sloping 
to  the  front  and  back.  The  only  visible  doorway  is 
but  the  breadth  of  an  ordinary  room  from  the  east 
end.  If  a  visitor  unacquainted  with  the  history  of 

A  1 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

the  place,  as  we  assume  the  reader  to  be,  should  won- 
der why  so  ugly  and  seemingly  useless  an  old  trap 
had  not  long  ago  given  way  to  the  two  or  three  mod- 
ern houses  that  could  have  found  room  on  its  site, 
an  answer  would  at  once  have  been  suggested  by  its 
situation.  It  fronts  on  a  narrow  lane  leading  out 
from  the  little-frequented  Church  Street,  where  no 
one  would  ever  look  for  a  residence  unless  he  want- 
ed to  be  forgotten  by  the  world. 

As  our  visitor  went  through  the  house  he  would 
find  nothing  to  explain  the  mystery.  Passing  through 
a  narrow  vestibule,  he  would  see  before  him  an  en- 
trance hall,  with  a  door  on  each  side  and  a  stairway 
in  the  rear.  If  he  opened  either  of  the  doors  he 
would  see  nothing  but  bare  plastered  walls  and  old 
oak  furniture,  of  which  the  uniformity  is  not  re- 
lieved by  a  trace  of  ornament.  But  few  stop  for 
this,  and  we  in  imagination  may  follow  the  crowd. 
The  attractive  part  of  the  house  is  in  the  third  story, 
and  thither  we  mount  with  the  others.  But  even 
when  we  get  there  our  curiosity  would  be  whetted 
rather  than  gratified.  We  should  see  nothing  but 
what  might  be  collected  from  a  few  sufficiently  old 
and  dilapidated  blacksmith  and  carpenter  shops. 
What  can  people  see  here  to  interest  them? 

To  answer  this  question  we  must  ask  the  reader 
to  go  back  with  us  two  generations  while  we  describe 
the  place  as  it  would  then  have  been  seen.  There 
was  one  particular  evening  when  the  scene  within 
would  have  raised  our  curiosity  to  the  highest  pitch. 

2 


An    Uncanny  Workshop 

This  was  Thursday,  May  15,  1941.  The  hour  is  of 
great  importance;  let  us  make  our  visit  at  nine 
o'clock.  Mounting  to  the  third  story,  we  see  a  door 
on  each  side  of  the  hall,  as  in  the  stories  below.  That 
on  the  right  has  nailed  to  it  a  printed  card : 

Professor  Campbell. 

The  opposite  door  bears  the  forbidding  sign 
No  Admittance. 

Having  taken  the  liberty  of  choosing  our  time, 
we  take  the  further  liberty  of  paying  no  attention 
to  this  warning.  Entering  the  forbidden  door,  we 
should  have  found  ourselves  in  a  study,  rather  nar- 
row, but  extending  along  the  whole  breadth  of  the 
building.  Seeing  nothing  but  a  lounge,  tables, 
chairs,  and  four  walls  covered  with  books,  we  should 
have  wondered  why  visitors  should  be  excluded. 
But  looking  around  we  should  have  noticed  a  door 
facing  the  one  by  which  we  entered,  with  the  same 
sign  painted  on  it  in  large  capitals.  Of  course,  after 
going  thus  far  the  mandate  would  not  have  stopped 
us.  Opening  the  second  door,  we  should  have  found 
ourselves  in  a  room  of  ample  size.  The  walls  on 
one  side  were  without  windows,  while  on  the  other 
side  they  were  pierced  for  two,  which,  however,  were 
closed  by  solid  wooden  shutters.  There  was  no  ceil- 
ing; the  roof  of  the  building  was  that  of  the  room. 
It  was  pierced  with  four  skylights  on  each  slope, 
sufficient  to  give  ample  light  during  the  day.  At 

3 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

the  hour  of  which  we  speak,  the  place  was  brilliant 
with  electric  lights. 

Looking  around  him,  the  visitor  would  have  been 
unable  to  decide  whether  he  was  in  a  physical  labo- 
ratory, a  workshop,  or  a  garret  for  the  deposit  of  old 
junk.  Two  turning-lathes,  a  small  forge,  chemical 
and  electrical  apparatus,  a  carpenter's  bench,  count- 
less old  bottles,  half  of  them  filled  with  chemicals, 
balls  of  cord,  bundles  of  rope,  and  every  kind  of  tool 
used  by  carpenters  or  blacksmiths  would  have  sug- 
gested to  us  the  laboratory  of  some  twentieth-century 
Faust. 

At  the  hour  in  question  the  room  had  three  occu- 
pants, two  of  whom  were  preparing  to  leave  for  the 
night.  From  their  garb  they  were  evidently  work- 
men. They  laid  aside  their  tools,  put  on  their  coats, 
and  departed.  The  third,  who  seemed  to  be  their 
employer,  followed  them  through  the  study,  care- 
fully locked  and  tried  the  door  after  them,  then,  re- 
turning, locked  the  inner  door  with  equal  care. 
Thus  left  alone  he  would  have  riveted  our  attention 
both  by  his  appearance  and  his  movements. 

In  build  he  was  a  man  of  medium  height,  but  slen- 
der and  wiry.  His  ample  supply  of  dark-brown  hair 
and  his  full  though  thin  beard  betokened  one  dis- 
posed to  avoid  the  barber's  chair.  His  dark,  quick- 
moving  eyes  had  an  anxious  look.  Two  characters 
seemed  to  be  combined  in  his  person — the  business 
man  and  the  philosopher.  It  would  have  been  diffi- 
cult to  decide  which  element  was  the  dominant  one. 

4 


An   Uncanny   Workshop 

His  photograph  would  have  suggested  nothing  but  a 
keen,  active  man  of  business.  But  no  sooner  had 
his  workmen  gone  than  he  fell  into  the  brown  study 
appropriate  to  a  mathematical  professor. 

Whatever  his  calling,  he  evidently  wished  to  be 
enveloped  in  mystery.  When  he  felt  himself  alone 
he  glanced  furtively  around  on  all  sides,  even  scan- 
ning the  skylights  with  the  greatest  solicitude,  as  if 
to  make  sure  that  no  indiscreet  eye  was  prying  into 
his  doings.  Every  now  and  then,  sometimes  when 
walking  across  the  room,  he  stood  still  for  a  moment, 
evidently  buried  deep  in  thought;  then  as  suddenly 
darted  forward. 

On  one  side  of  the  room,  set  in  the  wall,  was  a 
high  but  shallow  safe.  Near  it  the  wall  was  pene- 
trated by  a  key-hole,  so  minute  that  no  one  would 
have  noticed  it  except  on  careful  examination.  The 
man  took  a  key  from  his  vest-pocket,  put  it  into  this 
hole  and  opened  a  small  and  almost  invisible  door. 
Here  was  nothing  but  a  closet  with  one  shelf,  on  the 
inner  corner  of  which  lay  another  key.  He  took 
the  latter,  and  with  it  opened  the  safe.  From  the 
safe  he  took  what  looked  like  a  polished  metal  rod, 
four  feet  long  and  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  round- 
ed off  at  each  end.  He  carried  it  carefully  to  the 
middle  of  the  room  and  stood  it  up.  Left  to  itself, 
it  behaved  as  rod  never  did  before;  it  stood  alone. 
Worse  still,  it  refused  to  fall  down,  even  when  the 
little  man  pressed  against  it.  He  could  only  make 
the  bottom  slide  along  the  floor  as  fast  as  the  upper 

5 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

part  was  moved.  Placing  his  foot  against  the  bot- 
tom to  keep  it  from  sliding,  he  seized  the  top  and 
swung  himself  around  to  get  the  rod  out  of  its  per- 
pendicular position,  but  in  vain. 

Determined,  it  would  seem,  to  enforce  the  law  of 
gravitation,  he  continued  the  experiment  by  screw- 
ing firmly  to  the  floor  a  small  block  of  wood  with  a 
hole  in  the  centre.  He  stood  the  rod  in  this  hole. 
Near  him  was  a  cord  and  several  heavy  weights. 
The  cord  passed  around  a  pulley  and  had  suspended 
to  its  lower  end  a  scale-pan,  in  which  the  weights 
could  be  put.  The  cord  was  then  attached  to  the  up- 
per part  of  the  rod  as  if  to  force  it  out  of  the  perpen- 
dicular position  if  possible.  But  the  heaviest  weight 
that  the  cord  could  bear  did  not  appear  to  budge  the 
rod.  The  little  man  made  a  record  of  the  weight, 
and  with  some  sort  of  a  small  optical  instrument 
was  evidently  measuring  the  minute  amount,  invisi- 
ble to  our  unpractised  eyes,  by  which  the  rod  could 
be  made  to  diverge. 

The  trial  of  the  rod  completed,  he  carried  it  back 
to  the  safe,  it  retaining  its  vertical  position  all  the 
while,  and  stood  it  carefully  up  in  its  original  place. 
He  then  took  from  the  shelf  of  the  safe  something 
which,  at  first  sight,  looked  like  a  tall  half-gallon 
mug.  But  it  had  no  bottom,  being  nothing  but  a  hol- 
low cylinder,  perhaps  a  foot  high  and  three  inches 
in  diameter,  with  a  handle.  It  was  of  a  black 
substance,  which  shone  with  a  metallic  lustre, 
though  the  color  was  not  that  of  any  metal.  It  was 

6 


An   Uncanny   Workshop 

surrounded  at  top  and  bottom  by  thin  metallic  rings, 
in  which  were  set  clamps  for  holding  wires.  On  a 
stand  near  the  chimney-piece  was  an  electric  battery. 
He  set  the  implement  upon  the  hearth  and  connected 
the  wires  of  the  battery  with  it.  He  then  took  from 
the  work-bench  a  roll  of  copper  wire,  cut  off  a  piece 
about  a  yard  in  length,  and  returned  to  the  hearth. 
He  took  the  mug  in  his  left  hand,  and  with  the  other 
held  the  wire  so  that  it  passed  vertically  through  the 
centre  of  the  cylinder.  In  a  few  seconds  the  portion 
of  the  wire  within  the  mug  was  white-hot,  then  it 
began  to  melt  and  run  to  the  hearth  in  drops;  and 
yet  all  the  while  the  implement  was  so  cool  that  he 
held  it  in  his  hand. 

Then  he  held  a  pipe-stem  in  the  centre  in  place  of 
the  wire.  Soon  white  frost  began  to  collect  on  the 
outside  of  the  mug,  while  the  pipe  became  red-hot. 
But  nothing  else  occurred.  With  a  look  of  disap- 
pointment he  took  a  hollow  spirit-lamp,  shaped 
like  the  lamp  of  a  light-house,  lit  it,  and  placed  the 
mug  within  the  flame.  Then,  placing  the  pipe-stem 
in  the  centre,  it  grew  red-hot,  white-hot,  and  at 
length  melted  down  and  fell  on  the  hearth  in  metallic 
drops. 

Going  back  to  the  safe,  he  next  took  from  it  an 
article  of  clothing.  It  was  a  close-fitting  leather 
coat,  fastened  to  the  outside  of  which  were  a  number 
of  tubes  of  the  size  and  shape  of  small  organ-pipes. 
When  the  little  man  arrayed  himself  in  this  coat  he 
stood  in  the  centre  of  the  circle  of  pipes  and  looked 

7 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

as  if  an  organist  might  have  played  a  tune  on  him. 
The  coat  was  a  very  close  fit.  He  buttoned  it  as 
tightly  as  if  he  feared  it  would  be  torn  off.  He  then 
walked  to  the  carpenter's  bench,  on  which  lay  an  in- 
strument looking  like  a  pair  of  wooden  pincers 
about  four  feet  long.  Near  them  lay  two  or  three 
little  round  metal  handles,  rather  more  than  a  hand's- 
bre^dth  long.  Simple  though  these  things  looked, 
he  seemed  afraid  to  touch  or  even  approach  them. 
He  carefully  took  hold  of  the  long  pincers,  and, 
reaching  out  his  arm,  took  the  handles  one  by  one 
and  laid  them  on  the  floor.  Near  where  he  put 
them  a  solid  staple  had  been  driven  firmly  into  the 
floor.  He  then  took  a  piece  of  cord  some  twenty  feet 
long,  tied  one  end  to  his  foot  and  fastened  the  other 
end  to  the  staple,  as  if  he  were  a  cow  allowed  to  graze, 
but  secured  from  running  away.  As  soon  as  the 
knots  were  tied  he  tested  each  of  them  by  a  pull  this 
way  and  that  with  all  his  strength,  as  if  resolved  to 
make  escape  impossible.  Then  he  stooped  cautious- 
ly to  where  the  handles  were  lying  and  took  one  in 
each  hand,  being  careful  at  first  to  hold  both  at  arm's- 
length.  He  gradually  brought  them  closer  to  his 
body,  holding  them  in  a  vertical  position. 

As  they  approached  the  organ-pipes,  the  reason 
for  his  caution  became  evident.  The  little  man  be- 
gan to  rise  from  the  floor  as  the  spiritual  mediums 
were  said  to  do  a  hundred  years  ago,  and  was  very 
soon  nearly  up  to  the  roof,  being  prevented  from 
striking  it  and  perhaps  passing  through  it  only  by 

8 


An   Uncanny   Workshop 

the  rope  with  which  his  leg  was  tied.  As  he  moved 
the  handles  slightly  from  him  he  began  to  descend. 
He  then  proceeded  to  amuse  himself  by  alternately 
swinging  up  and  down  in  the  way  described.  He 
could  apparently  move  in  any  direction  he  might 
choose  through  the  air,  by  a  very  slight  inclination 
of  the  handles.  Holding  them  in  one  way,  he  swung 
round  and  round  a  circle  having  for  its  radius  the 
length  of  the  rope;  holding  them  another  way,  he 
swung  in  the  reverse  direction.  And,  all  the  while, 
he  kept  peering  round  as  if  fearful  that  he  might  be 
seen. 

Having  completed  this  exercise  to  his  satisfaction, 
he  returned  slowly  to  the  floor,  untied  the  rope  from 
his  leg,  and  deposited  the  handles  in  the  little  closet 
where  the  key  of  the  safe  was  kept.  He  removed  his 
organ-pipe  coat,  replaced  it  carefully  in  the  safe, 
and  took  from  the  latter  what  seemed  like  a  smooth 
wooden  log,  drew  it  to  the  middle  of  the  room,  and 
carefully  fastened  it  at  the  end  of  the  same  rope  with 
which  he  had  been  tied,  evidently  to  keep  it  from 
running  away.  He  then  sat  astride  of  the  log,  look- 
ing like  a  man  riding  an  alligator.  The  careful  ob- 
server would  have  noticed  two  holes  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  log  near  the  forward  end.  From  each 
of  these  projected  a  little  lever.  The  would-be  rider 
seized  these  levers  in  his  fingers  and  gave  them  a 
slight  turn.  Immediately  the  log,  with  him  on  it, 
rose  in  the  air  until  it  was  at  the  full  height  of  the 
rope.  He  then  rode  around,  evidently  to  his  great 

9 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

amusement,  with  motions  much  the  same  as  those  he 
had  made  with  the  organ-pipe  coat.  Looking  round 
to  be  sure  he  could  not  be  heard,  he  laughed  heartily 
to  himself,  so  much  did  he  enjoy  the  sport.  When  he 
had  satisfied  himself  he  descended  to  the  ground  by 
simply  taking  hold  of  the  levers,  guided  the  log  alli- 
gator back  to  the  safe  as  if  it  had  been  a  tame 
animal,  and  returned  it  to  its  place.  The  secrecy 
which  he  threw  around  his  operations  was  clearly 
justified,  unless  he  wished  to  make  the  looker-on 
doubt  the  evidence  of  his  senses  or  lose  confidence  in 
the  law  of  gravitation. 

Again  a  fit  of  abstraction  came  over  him,  which 
lasted  several  minutes.  Then  he  took  a  large  folio 
blank-book,  very  strongly  bound,  from  the  safe,  placed 
it  on  the  work-bench,  took  a  seat  in  front  of  it,  and 
proceeded  to  write.  It  was  evidently  a  diary. 
When  he  had  finished  his  entry,  which  took  some 
time,  the  book  was  returned  to  the  safe,  the  latter 
locked,  and  the  key  itself  again  locked  up  in  the 
closet  with  the  greatest  care,  and  the  key  of  the 
closet  returned  to  his  vest-pocket.  Looking  care- 
fully to  see  that  all  was  secure,  he  extinguished  the 
electric  lights  and  left  the  room. 

His  experiments  finished,  he  looked  around  in  the 
adjoining  study  for  something  to  read.  The  books 
with  which  the  long  walls  were  lined  were  of  the 
most  heterogeneous  character.  Scientific  text-books, 
histories,  old  folios,  with  the  writings  of  the  Church 
fathers,  law  books,  especially  works  on  international 

10 


An   Uncanny  Workshop 

law,  old  English  state  trials,  and  collections  of 
all  sorts  were  mixed  up  in  the  utmost  confusion. 
Apparently  quite  at  random,  he  took  down  a  folio, 
Grotius's  De  Lege  belli  et  pads,  in  the  original  Lat- 
in, sat  down  and  began  to  read.  He  could  not  have 
been  much  interested,  for  he  soon  began  to  nod. 
Probably  he  only  used  the  book  as  a  soporific  after 
his  exciting  experiences,  for  he  now  arose  and  pre- 
pared to  retire.  He  locked  all  the  doors  with  the  ut- 
most care,  tried  each  to  make  sure  that  there  was  no 
failure  on  the  part  of  the  keys  to  perform  their  func- 
tion, put  them  in  his  pocket,  went  across  to  the  rooms 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  passage,  which  formed  his 
reception  and  sleeping  apartments,  and  retired  to  his 
bed. 

The  morning  after  these  queer  proceedings  Presi- 
dent Winthrop  was  sitting  in  his  office.  Professor 
Campbell  was  announced. 

"  Mr.  President,  I  have  called  to  apprise  you  of 
my  resignation." 

The  president  knew  that  Campbell  generally  used 
the  English  language  to  carry  a  point  by  assault 
rather  than  by  regular  approaches.  But  he  fancied 
that  his  manner  was  even  more  abrupt  than  usual, 
as  if  he  had  come  with  an  ultimatum  to  be  immedi- 
ately and  unconditionally  accepted. 

"  If  you  will  allow  me  to  be  as  abrupt  as  your- 
self, I  reply  that  your  resignation  will  not  be  ac-( 
cepted." 

11 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

"  Not  accepted !  But  if  I  stop  work  and  leave, 
what  is  the  corporation  going  to  do  about  it?  This 
is  not  a  military  organization." 

"  The  corporation  will  do  just  this — it  will  give 
you  leave  of  absence  for  a  year.  You  have  been 
entitled  to  your  sabbatical  year  for  some  time,  and 
now  you  shall  have  it.  Scofield  was  here  only  ten 
minutes  ago  proposing  that  you  should  be  forced  to 
take  it.  We  know  that  you  have  been  overworked, 
and  you  must  travel  abroad  and  cease  to  think  of 
your  work  here.  This  will  be  even  better  than  ac- 
cepting your  resignation." 

"  But  I  do  not  propose  to  travel  abroad.  The  fact 
is,  I  intend  to  completely  change  my  occupation  and 
go  into  business.  If  the  university  chooses  to  give  me 
a  year's  leave  of  absence  with  that  understanding,  I 
have  no  objection." 

"  Of  course,  I  have  no  right  to  inquire  into  the 
matter,  but  if  you  choose  to  tell  me  what  business 
you  expect  to  undertake,  that  information  might  be 
useful  in  enabling  the  corporation-  to  decide  upon  a 
course." 

"  Well,  I  propose  to  go  into  a  manufacturing  busi- 
ness. First  of  all  I  shall  start  a  brick-yard." 

It  took  the  president  some  moments  to  recover  the 
power  of  speech. 

"  You  do  not  expect  me  to  take  you  seriously. 
The  idea  of  the  Professor  of  Molecular  Physics  in 
Harvard  University  resigning  to  make  brick  may 
do  well  in  a  comic  paper,  but  can  hardly  be  discussed 
before  the  corporation  of  the  university." 


An  Uncanny  Workshop 

"  I  did  not  say  I  was  going  to  do  nothing  but  make 
brick ;  I  said  that  was  the  first  thing  I  should  under- 
take. The  fact  is,  there  are  cogent  reasons,  which  I 
am  not  at  liberty  to  set  forth,  which  make  me  desire 
to  proceed  as  quietly  as  possible  in  my  enterprise, 
exciting  neither  remark  nor  surprise  on  the  part  of 
any  one.  I  wish  to  disappear  from  the  public  gaze, 
with  no  notice  whatever,  if  such  a  thing  be  possible, 
from  my  friends  or  the  newspapers.  The  latter  will 
be  sure  to  find  me  out  quicker  than  I  want  to  be 
found  out,  but  I  shall  postpone  the  evil  day  as  long 
as  I  can." 

"  Are  you  not  willing  to  solve  for  me,  in  the  most 
private  and  confidential  way  if  you  wish,  the  mys- 
tery of  your  speech  ?  You  must  see  how  enigmatical 
the  situation  is,  as  you  present  it." 

"  You  know  that  I  have  very  great  confidence 
in  your  discretion;  and  yet  I  am  not  at  liberty  to 
unravel  what  may  seem  to  you  a  mystery.  I  see  as 
well  as  you  do  the  reasonableness  of  your  standpoint. 
But  I  will  tell  you  one  thing,  if  you  will  solemnly 
promise  to  keep  it  an  absolute  secret." 

"As  between  knowing  nothing  and  knowing  a 
secret,  I  shall  for  the  moment  take  the  part  of  a  wom- 
an and  choose  the  secret.  So  you  may  rely  on  my 
confidence  and  talk  freely." 

"  If  the  day  ever  comes  when  my  enterprise 
succeeds  and  all  my  hopes  are  realized,  that  day 
will  be  the  greatest  in  the  history  of  the  world." 

The  two  'men  looked  at  each  other  for  a  mo- 
ment in  silence:  the  one  to  see  the  effect  of  his 

13 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

words;  the  other  wondering  if  his  companion  was 
really  sane. 

"  How  you  talk !     Is  that  all  you  have  to  say  ?" 

"  That  is  all.     I  hope  it  is  enough." 

"  Then  I  will  bring  the  matter  before  the  corpo- 
ration, set  forth  the  absolute  necessity  of  giving  you 
a  year's  relief  from  your  work,  and  ask  that  you  be 
allowed  to  take  your  sabbatical  year  without  any 
questions  as  to  where  you  shall  go  or  what  you  shall 
do." 

"  Thank  you.  Please  remember  that  I  want  the 
fact  of  my  retirement  kept  secret  as  long  as  possible. 
I  delivered  my  last  lecture  for  the  term  yesterday, 
so  there  is  no  occasion  that  any  one  should  notice 
my  absence.  I  may  at  some  future  day  have  oc- 
casion to  take  you  into  my  confidence.  For  the  pres- 
ent, good-morning." 

The  president  was  deeply  concerned.  Either  one 
of  his  favorite  professors  had  gone  completely  daft 
or  something  incredible  was  going  to  occur.  Were 
Campbell  addicted  to  rhetorical  exaggeration,  some 
escape  from  the  dilemma  might  have  been  possible. 
Knowing  him  to  be  the  most  exact  of  men  in  his 
talk,  there  was  none.  The  president  could  not  dis- 
guise from  himself  that  the  unfavorable  horn  of  the 
dilemma  was  the  more  likely  one.  Two  generations 
had  passed  without  a  scientific  discovery  that  could 
be  called  epoch-making.  Investigators  had,  to  all 
appearance,  found  out  everything  of  a  radical  nat- 
ure that  was  to  be  learned,  and  were  now  quietly 

It 


An   Uncanny  Workshop 

developing  new  phases  of  the  known.  How  unlikely 
that  one  of  them,  without  any  premonitory  an- 
nouncement, would  be  able  to  make  a  revolution  in 
human  affairs.  And,  granting  that  a  revolution  was 
possible,  how  could  it  possibly  begin  with  a  brick- 
yard? 


H 

The    City    of  the    Potomac 

IF  we  had,  at  the  time  our  history  begins,  searched 
the  whole  land  east  of  the  Mississippi  to  find 
some  nook  into  which  the  forces  of  modern  civ- 
ilization had  never  been  able  to  penetrate,  we  might 
well  have  hit  upon  a  certain  bend  in  the  Potomac 
River  less  than  a  hundred  miles  south  of  Washing- 
ton. In  the  peninsula  thus  formed  no  railway  had 
ever  been  seen.  What  little  produce  was  raised  by 
the  farmers  found  its  way  to  market  from  occasional 
steamboat  landings.  ~No  one  had  ever  wanted  to 
move  into  such  a  place,  and  so  it  happened  that  the 
land  had  remained  in  the  families  which  held  it 
for  I  know  not  how  many  generations.  The  ances- 
tral houses  in  various  stages  of  decay  were  scattered 
at  great  distances,  and  the  only  society  which  their 
inhabitants  enjoyed  was  that  afforded  by  an  occasion- 
al frolic,  coming  off  once  a  year,  perhaps,  when  some 
farmer  would  invite  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  pen- 
insula to  a  dance. 

Great,  therefore,  was  the  surprise  of  Farmer  Will- 
iams's  household  one  fine  morning  when  the  children 

16 


The   City   of  the   Potomac 

came  running  into  the  house  in  a  condition  of  great 
excitement. 

"  Oh,  Pop !  there's  somebody  a-comin'  in  a  bug- 


"  Boy,  you're  crazy !  Who  would  ever  come  here 
in  a  buggy  ?" 

"  I  don't  know,  but  if  you  look  out  you'll  see." 

The  father  went  to  the  door,  and,  sure  enough,  the 
boy  was  right.  A  person  attired  like  a  city  gentle- 
man was  driving  up  in  a  more  respectable-looking 
vehicle  than  was  usual  in  those  parts.  A  cigar  in 
his  mouth  added  greatly  to  the  effect.  It  is  very 
surprising  how  much  more  impressive  a  man  driving 
a  carriage  looks  when  he  has  a  cigar  in  his  mouth. 
Tt  gives  him  the  appearance  of  knowing  exactly  what 
he  is  about — of  being  master  of  the  situation,  in  fact. 

The  result  of  the  city  gentleman's  visit  to  the 
region  was  that  a  few  weeks  later  sundry  deeds,  con- 
veying large  areas  of  land  to  Archibald  Camp- 
bell, were  duly  recorded  in  the  land  records  of  the 
county  seat.  The  whole  of  Peter's  Island  was  in- 
cluded, Campbell  deeming  the  possession  of  an  isl- 
and necessary  to  the  protection  of  some  of  his  works 
from  the  curiosity  of  the  public. 

A  few  days  later  the  new  owner,  accompanied  by 
his  attorney  and  a  surveying-party,  had  engaged  a 
river  tug  to  make  an  inspection  of  his  possessions. 
As  the  party  were  stepping  into  it,  an  unlooked-for 
interruption  occurred. 

"  I  was  just  going  to  engage  a  boat  for  a  little 
B  IT 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

excursion  down  the  river.  I  see  you  gentlemen  are 
on  a  similar  errand.  If  it  would  be  agreeable  to 
you  to  join  with  me,  I  should  be  very  glad  to  pay  my 
share  of  the  expense." 

Campbell  looked  at  the  new-comer  with  amazement. 
He  was  a  short  and  rather  plump  young  man,  of  a  de- 
cidedly florid  complexion — round,  unwrinkled  face 
and  bright-red  hair  and  mustache.  His  prevailing  tint 
had  even  entered  his  eyes.  His  rubicund  visage 
was  illuminated  by  what  was  intended  to  be  a  very 
pleasant  smile.  In  the  eyes  of  Campbell  it  was  the 
most  repulsive  leer  he  had  ever  seen.  The  cool  au- 
dacity of  the  proposal  filled  him  with  a  surprise 
which  must  have  been  quite  evident  to  its  maker. 
But  the  latter  was  unaffected  by  the  unpleasant  im- 
pression he  had  made.  As  Campbell  mutely  sur- 
veyed him  he  surveyed  back,  and  his  manner,  smile, 
and  expression  all  seemed  to  say,  "  E"ow  you  need 
not  put  on  any  airs  with  me.  I  have  got  your  meas- 
ure exactly,  and  know  who  and  what  you  are.  It 
is  for  you  to  accept  or  decline  my  offer,  as  you  may 
deem  best.  But  no  expressions  of  either  courtesy  or 
contempt  will  have  the  slightest  effect  upon  me." 

It  took  our  friend  several  seconds  to  decide  what 
to  say. 

"  We  are  going  on  more  than  a  mere  excursion, 
and  may  not  return  for  two  or  three  days.  Under 
any  circumstances  we  do  not  desire  additional  com- 


pany." 


All  right ;  good-morning." 
18 


The   City   of  the   Potomac 

As  the  two  men  boarded  the  tug,  they  saw  the  red- 
headed man  engaging  another  at  the  next  wharf  be- 
low. It  seemed  a  little  puzzling  that  a  lone  man 
should  hire  a  tug  to  make  an  excursion  'on  his  own 
account. 

In  a  few  minutes  more  steam  was  up  and  the 
party  making  its  way  down  the  river  at  a  moderate 
speed.  As  they  passed  the  next  wharf  the  red-head- 
ed man  gazed  upon  them,  his  smile  undiminished, 
and  his  placidity  undisturbed.  They  had  not  got 
half  a  mile  down  the  river  when  the  other  tug  had 
got  up  steam  and  was  following  them.  Through  his 
glass  Campbell  could  see  the  red-headed  man  sitting 
in  the  bow,  calmly  smoking  a  cigar.  The  pursuer 
slowly  gained  upon  them,  and  at  Alexandria  was  not 
a  hundred  yards  in  the  rear. 

"  I  think,"  said  Campbell,  "  we  may  as  well  let 
that  fellow  go  past  us.  I  have  not  brought  along 
any  materials  for  notes  or  sketches.  So  let  us  stop 
here  a  moment  and  buy  pencils  and  paper.  No  doubt 
we  shall  find  a  stationery  shop  near  the  wharf." 

So  the  tug  fastened  to  a  wharf,  while  he  inquired 
the  way  to  the  nearest  shop  and  made  his  purchase. 
Meanwhile  the  other  tug  passed  and  then  slowed  up. 
When  he  returned  to  his  tug  it  was  less  than  a  mile 
below,  and  scarcely  making  headway.  There  was  no 
time  to  lose,  because  it  was  desired  to  commence  the 
inspection,  if  possible,  before  nightfall.  Under  a 
full  head  of  steam  the  other  tug  was  soon  reached. 
The  red-headed  man  was  still  placidly  smoking  his 

19 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

cigar,  and  bestowed  only  a  glance  upon  the  other 
party  as  it  passed.  But  by  this  time  his  tug  was 
making  more  rapid  progress,  and  was  soon  again  fol- 
lowing them  at  a  distance  of  a  few  hundred  yards. 

"  That  fellow  is  evidently  out  to  watch  us/'  said 
Campbell.  "  Do  get  away  from  him  if  possible. 
Here,  Captain,  put  on  all  the  steam  your  boilers  will 
stand  and  get  out  of  sight  of  the  rascal." 

But  the  other  tug  was  nearly  as  fast  as  theirs. 
The  black  smoke  from  their  own  funnel  was  soon 
followed  by  black  smoke  from  the  other;  her  bows 
dashed  up  foam  on  both  sides;  the  distance  apart 
was  only  increased  half  a  mile.  Campbell  turned 
to  his  companion. 

"  Has  that  fellow  a  right  to  follow  us  up  this  way  \ 
I  am  quite  unacquainted  with  the  law  in  such  a  case 
as  this.  Here  we  are,  going  down  the  river  on  our 
own  private  business,  and  the  idle  scamp  turns  out 
to  follow  us  up.  Can  we  do  anything  lawful  to  stop 
him?" 

"  I  fear  nothing  can  be  done  at  the  moment.  He 
would  claim  that  the  river  was  free ;  and  if  there  is 
any  law  for  the  case,  we  could  only  enforce  it  by 
returning  at  least  to  Alexandria  to  sue  out  an  in- 
junction. That  would  make  our  expedition  public 
with  a  vengeance." 

"  Can  you  imagine  what  he  is  after  ?" 

"  I  may  have  my  suspicions,  but  they  are  not 
worth  much.  Let  us  wait  and  see." 

They  had  only  to  wait  till  they  could  get  a  copy 
20 


The   City    of  the    Potomac 

of  the  next  day's  New  York  Herald.  As  Campbell 
looked  over  it,  a  heading  caught  his  eye.  There  was 
a  despatch,  a  column  long,  "  from  our  Washington 
correspondent."  It  began  as  follows: 

A  NEW  LAND  COMPANY. 

Project  for  Improving  the  Loicer  Potomac. 
A  syndicate,  having  its  headquarters  in  Boston,  is  about  to  es- 
tablish a  new  watering-place  on  the  lower  Potomac.  A  well- 
known  real-estate  dealer  in  Baltimore  and  a  distinguished  Har- 
vard Professor  are  the  active  promoters  of  the  scheme.  A  site 
has  already  been  selected  near  Nanjemoy.  A  large  hotel  will 
soon  be  erected,  which,  it  is  thought,  will  attract  many  Bostonians 
iu  search  of  a  mild  winter  climate.  .  .  . 

The  history  of  Campbelltown,  the  great  manufact- 
uring city  of  the  Potomac,  has  been  so  often  writ- 
ten that  we  need  not  repeat  it.  But  the  diary  of 
the  founder  has  recently  come  into  our  possession, 
and  shed  so  new  a  light  upon  the  beginning  of  his 
enterprise  that  we  transcribe  some  passages : 

"  June  18,  1941. — I  have  murder  in  my  heart. 
A  Herald  man  has  located  my  enterprise  before 
I  got  it  started.  I  must  go  on  in  the  broad  light 
of  publicity.  This  is  annoying,  but,  after  all,  my 
secret  cannot  be  endangered.  No  one  else  has  ever 
conceived  of  a  substance  whose  vibrations  could  re- 
act on  the  ether  of  space  in  such  a  way  as  to  fly 
through  it  as  a  bird  flies  through  the  air.  If  I 
should  talk  of  etherine,  as  I  call  it,  no  one  would 
know  what  I  meant.  And  yet  I  am  superstitious 
enough  to  feel  troubled. 

21 


His  Wisdom   the  Defender 

"  June  23, 1941. — Here  I  am,  ready  to  begin  work. 
What  the  end  shall  be  I  cannot  foresee.  It  seems 
contrary  to  all  human  experience  to  suppose  that 
one  man  should  be  able  to  revolutionize  the  world 
without  letting  his  fellow-men  know  what  he  is 
about.  I  fear  that  when  I  have  everything  ready 
for  the  decisive  move,  my  men  will  be  unwilling 
to  engage  in  what  will  seem  a  foolish  and  dangerous 
enterprise,  not  only  without  public  support,  but  in 
the  face  of  opposition  by  the  whole  world.  I  have 
been  planning  how  to  meet  the  difficulty.  My  army 
must  have  officers  and  men  like  any  other.  I  have 
long  thought  of  engaging  Lieutenant  Gheen,  gradu- 
ate of  West  Point,  to  command  it.  But  will  he  be 
willing  to  brave  such  a  risk  ?  Will  any  one  be  will- 
ing? 

"  After  much  pondering  I  have  concluded  to  choose 
the  other  officers  from  the  athletes,  especially  the 
football  players,  of  our  leading  colleges.  These 
are  the  men  who,  having  the  greatest  physical  and 
mental  vigor,  will  be  most  ready  to  engage  in  an  ex- 
citing enterprise.  If  possible  I  must,  before  I  be- 
gin active  operations,  arrange  to  have  them  isolated 
from  all  human  society  for  several  weeks,  perhaps 
for  several  months.  This,  with  the  consciousness 
of  their  power,  which  will  be  evident  to  them,  will 
induce  that  mental  condition  known  as  '  spoiling 
for  a  fight.'  To  add  to  their  interest  in  the  affair 
and  their  mutual  confidence  in  each  other,  I  pro- 
pose to  organize  them  into  a  secret  society,  to  be 

22 


The    City   of  the   Potomac 

called  the  Angelic  Order  of  Seraphim.  No  one 
will  at  first  see  the  significance  of  the  name;  but 
when  actual  operations  are  begun  it  will  be  apparent 
enough. 

"  In  the  case  of  the  men,  I  will  solve  the  problem 
by  making  up  an  army  of  Irishmen.  The  latter 
are  loyal  to  employers  who  get  into  their  good  graces, 
and,  like  good  soldiers,  are  always  ready  to  obey 
orders  without  counting  the  cost.  Once  in  a  fight, 
they  will  go  through  it  to  the  bitter  end. 

"  July  8,  1941. — I  have  talked  with  Gheen  and,  to 
my  pleasant  surprise,  found  him  quite  ready  to  take 
the  place  of  chief  engineer  of  my  works.  Of  course, 
I  did  not  tell  him  what  else  I  had  in  mind. 

"  July  11,  1941. — My  counsel  tells  me  I  should 
have  my  business  run  under  a  company  name,  so  I 
have  decided  to  call  myself  the  '  Anita  Company.' 

"  September  8,  1941. — The  first  aluminium  fur- 
nace is  complete  and  the  secret  foundations  and  other 
underworks  for  five  others  are  ready.  I  shall  have 
the  more  delicate  portions  of  these  five  completed 
before  anybody  suspects  what  I  have  in  view.  It 
is  really  amusing  how  I  have  mixed  up  the  Herald 
man.  He  reports  that  the  chimney  is  for  the  laun- 
dry of  my  proposed  hotel!  The  wharf  is  nearly 
complete,  and  it  is  in  perfect  accord  with  his  theory. 

"  September  25,  1941. — The  aluminium  furnace 
No.  1  is  now  in  successful  operation,  and  turning 
out  a  ton  a  day.  So  far  only  Gheen  and  two  of 
his  skilled  workmen  even  know  what  we  are  making. 

23 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

The  ingots  are  all  purified  and  cast  underground, 
and  carried  out  after  dark  to  be  stored  in  a  little 
brick  building  near  the  wharf,  into  which  no  out- 
sider is  allowed  to  penetrate. 

"November  20,  1941.— To  -  day  I  shipped  my 
first  instalment  of  aluminium,  about  fifty  tons, 
to  Smithmeyer  &  Co.,  of  New  York,  who  will  dis- 
pose of  it  according  to  their  judgment,  but  will  for 
the  time  being  keep  its  origin  secret. 

"  March  23,  1942. — The  inevitable  denouement 
has  come  at  last.  The  fact  is  discovered  and  pub- 
lished that  I  am  turning  out  aluminium  at  the  rate 
of  six  or  eight  tons  a  day  by  some  process  unknown 
to  any  one  but  myself.  The  first  attempt  to  see  the 
process  was  made  only  this  morning,  when  three 
men,  with  a  very  suspicious  combination  of  intelli- 
gent faces  and  dirty  attire,  sought  employment.  Of 
course,  it  would  not  do  them  a  bit  of  good  to  see  the 
whole  process,  because  no  one  could  carry  it  out 
without  a  furnace  like  mine,  and  no  one  can  make 
such  a  furnace  without  a  supply  of  etherine  to  begin 
with.  This  no  one  knows  how  to  make;  and  if  he 
did,  it  would  take  him  years  to  do  it,  as  it  has  taken 
me.  But  I  do  not  want  the  world  to  suspect  there 
is  anything  so  very  extraordinary  in  my  proceedings 
or  process,  until  the  suspicion  becomes  inevitable,  so 
I  simply  figure  as  the  possessor  of  a  secret  process. 

"  April  1,  1942. — The  newspapers  are  devoting 
more  and  more  attention  to  me  and  my  supposed  ec- 
centricities. Among  the  things  that  excite  their 

24 


The    City   of   the   Potomac 

curiosity  is  the  name  of  my  firm.  It  has  been  dis- 
covered that  a  young  woman  named  Anita,  the 
daughter  of  a  Yale  professor,  died  some  ten  years 
ago;  and  the  theory  is  that  I  have  held  her  in  such 
affectionate  remembrance  as  to  take  her  name  for  my 
company.  "No  one  has  ever  heard  of  Tiana  across 
the  ocean.  A  friend  indulged  in  a  little  pleasantry 
on  the  subject  the  other  day.  I  reminded  him  with 
all  seriousness  that  '  A.C.'  were  the  initials  both  of 
the  company  and  of  myself,  so  that  they  could  be 
applied  to  either,  and  refused  to  assign  any  other 
reason  for  the  name. 

"  May  3,  1942. — Broke  ground  on  Peter's  Island 
for  the  foundation  of  the  Coliseum.  It  will  be,  like 
its  old  Koman  namesake,  elliptical  in  form,  but  will 
greatly  exceed  it  in  size.  I  have  decided,  in  order 
to  have  plenty  of  room,  to  build  it  a  thousand  feet 
in  length  and  six  hundred  in  breadth.  How  the 
public,  guided  by  the  red-headed  man,  will  wonder 
when  they  see  this  monstrous  structure  rising!  I 
am  going,  as  long  as  possible,  to  let  everybody  ex- 
amine its  interior,  on  the  same  principle  that  a  jug- 
gler asks  the  audience  to  examine  his  sleeves  before 
he  begins  his  work.  So  far  I  have  not  broached 
the  subject  of  our  ultimate  object  to  Gheen,  but  must 
do  so  on  the  first  occasion.  I  scarcely  know  how  to 
begin. 

"May  7,  1942. — Tried  to  sound  Gheen  on  the 
ethical  principles  which  should  govern  the  relations 
of  nations,  especially  the  abstract  rightfulness  of 

25 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

war.  The  result  was  much  as  I  expected.  Prac- 
tical man  as  he  is,  he  looked  upon  war  as  inevitable 
in  the  present  state  of  society.  It  was  therefore  use- 
less to  occupy  ourselves  with  discussions  of  its  right- 
fulness  or  wrongfulness.  At  length  I  broke  out 
with  the  plain  question :  ( If  you  had  the  power  to 
put  an  end  to  war,  would  you  do  it  f ' 

"  Of  course  he  looked  upon  this  as  a  pure  abstrac- 
tion and  scarcely  deemed  the  question  worthy  of 
a  serious  answer.  How  shall  I  make  it  clear  to 
him  that  it  is  a  really  serious  question  on  my  part, 
and  that,  in  spite  of  this,  I  am  sane  when  I  put  it  ? 

"  June  15,  1942. — Strongly  as  I  am  impelled  to 
the  idea  of  having  the  great  powers,  with  our  own 
country  as  their  leader,  rule  the  world,  two  cir- 
cumstances have  happened  within  a  week  which 
make  it  clearer  than  ever  to  me  that  such  a  policy 
will  be  disastrous  to  the  best  interests  of  mankind. 

"  One  is  the  brutal  letter  of  the  head  of  the  German 
navy  to  the  French  ambassador,  who  had  been  ac- 
cused, perhaps  wrongfully,  of  seeking  to  purchase 
secrets  respecting  the  German  naval  armament. 
Poor  France  is  not  in  a  condition  to  resent  the  in- 
sult, and  must  therefore  put  up  with  it.  If  this  is  the 
spirit  which  animates  a  great  power,  how  must  we 
expect  such  a  power  to  behave  towards  Siarn  or 
Japan,  or  the  Tartars,  or  any  other  of  the  weaker 
nations?  Such  tyranny  as  will  be  exercised  and 
such  humiliations  as  will  be  imposed  seem  'to  me 
so  unendurable  that,  if  I  cannot  make  the  arrange- 

26 


The   City   of  the   Potomac 

ments  for  carrying  through  the  enterprise  myself, 
I  feel  like  letting  the  secret  die  with  me. 

"  Now  comes  the  other  event,  showing  how  ready 
France  is  to  do  the  same  to  a  weaker  power  that 
Germany  did  to  her.  A  party  of  sailors  from  a 
French  ship  of  war  in  the  harbor  of  Lisbon  went 
ashore  and  got  into  a  fight  with  a  party  of  Portu- 
guese. As  might  have  been  expected,  the  French 
were  victorious.  A  formal  complaint  was  made 
to  their  government  by  that  of  Portugal,  which, 
after  a  careful  investigation  of  the  whole  matter, 
claimed  that  the  others  were  the  aggressors.  But  a 
court  of  inquiry  on  board  the  French  ship,  after 
hearing  the  story  as  told  by  their  side,  reported  that 
the  Portuguese  were  the  aggressors.  In  view  of 
their  difference  of  opinion,  Portugal  asked  France 
to  have  the  affair  tried  by  an  impartial  joint  com- 
mission, to  be  chosen  by  both  governments.  This 
France  refused  to  do,  replying  that  she  could  not  go 
back  of  the  findings  of  her  own  officers ;  that,  accord- 
ing to  these  findings,  the  Portuguese  were  the  aggres- 
sors, and  that  an  indemnity  must  therefore  be  paid 
by  Portugal  without  further  question.  The  worst 
of  it  is  that  the  attitude  of  their  government  is  sup- 
ported by  the  great  body  of  the  Paris  press. 

"  June  20,  1942. — Every  day  I  see  more  plainly 
that  if  I  am  to  carry  through  my  main  enterprise  all 
by  myself,  I  shall  need  a  great  deal  more  than  the 
seven  million  dollars  of  my  former  estimate.  I 
have  therefore  decided  not  to  rely  on  aluminium 

27 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

alone,  and  have  perfected  a  form  of  bicycle  which 
can  be  run  with  almost  any  speed,  even  forty  miles 
an  hour,  with  a  thermic  engine  supplied  with  therm 
by  a  little  petroleum  lamp.  I  have  an  auto- 
mobile carriage  to  run  on  the  same  system.  To 
save  people's  eyes  I  shall  also  make  an  incandescent 
burner  by  which  a  white  globe,  surrounding  a  com- 
mon gas-jet,  shall  glow  with  the  soft  light  of  day  and 
fill  a  whole  room  with  its  radiance." 

That  every  effort  was  made  to  penetrate  Camp- 
bell's secret  goes  without  saying.  The  two  men 
described  in  his  diary  were  simply  the  pioneers  of  a 
multitude.  There  was  a  singular  frankness  in  his 
way  of  dealing  with  these  curiosity  seekers.  When 
a  suspicious  visitor  appeared,  evidently  bent  on 
learning  something  of  value,  he  was  received  either 
by  the  secretary  of  the  company  or  a  trusted  subor- 
dinate with  the  greatest  affability,  and  seemingly 
given  every  encouragement  to  make  inquiries.  He 
was  informed  that  visitors  were  allowed  to  see  the 
process  of  manufacture  only  on  certain  days,  the 
reason  being  that  their  presence  interfered  with  the 
workmen. 

"  But  if  you  really  wish  to  see  the  process,  come 
next  Wednesday  morning  and  you  may  be  allowed 
to  do  so." 

"  I  supposed  it  was  an  impenetrable  secret." 

"  In  one  sense  it  is  and  in  another  it  is  not.  There 
may  be  something  that  Mr.  Campbell  is  not  yet  pre- 
28 


The    City    of  the   Potomac 

pared  to  reveal.  But  if  you  care  to  see  what  the 
process  is,  there  is  no  objection." 

At  the  appointed  time  the  visitors,  perhaps  a  dozen 
in  number,  were  taken  into  the  furnace-room. 
They  found  the  base  of  the  tall,  large  chimney  sur- 
rounded by  a  furnace  twenty  feet  in  diameter  and 
six  feet  high.  The  furnace  was  pierced  through  with 
eight  round  vertical  openings,  each  about  four  feet 
in  diameter,  in  each  of  which  was  a  hollow  cylinder 
of  some  hitherto  unknown  substance.  The  remain- 
ing space  was  filled  with  burning  coal.  Vertically 
above  the  surface,  at  a  height  of  about  ten  feet,  the 
chimney  was  surrounded  by  a  circular  platform  hav- 
ing eight  holes,  each  about  six  inches  in  diameter, 
one  over  the  centre  of  each  cylinder  in  the  furnace 
below.  Bars  of  baked  clay,  about  two  inches  in 
diameter  and  eight  or  ten  feet  long,  were  suspended 
from  this  platform  by  machinery,  so  that  their  low- 
er ends  should  pass  through  the  heated  cylinders. 
Here  they  were  exposed  to  a  temperature  so  high 
that  the  clay  itself  rapidly  melted  or  dissolved  in  a 
shower  of  sparks.  As  fast  as  the  lower  portion  was 
thus  dissolved  the  bar  was  let  down  by  machinery. 
The  melted  product  ran  down  in  a  stream,  which, 
being  at  the  bottom  of  the  cylinder,  could  not  be 
seen  by  the  visitor  without  endangering  his  eyes. 

The  substance  of  the  cylinders  possessed  a  physical 
property  never  before  known  to  be  possible,  in  virtue 
of  which  all  the  heat  was  radiated  directly  towards 
the  centre.  The  result  was  that  the  heat  was  concen- 

29 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

trated  as  in  the  focus  of  an  immense  burning-glass. 
How  such  a  result  could  be  brought  about,  the  visitor 
was  left  to  conjecture. 

"  May  we  see  what  is  going  on  below  this  fur- 
nace ?" 

"  Oh,  certainly ;  come,  down-stairs  and  we  will 
show  you." 

Below,  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  a  small  stream 
of  molten  aluminium  mixed  with  a  large  quantity 
of  dross,  which  flowed  into  refining  furnaces. 

:e  There,  gentlemen,  you  see  the  whole  process. 
What  more  can  we  show  you?" 

The  visitors  had  to  admit  that  they  had  seen  every- 
thing there  was  to  see,  and  left  as  wise  as  they  came. 
The  injunction  of  secrecy  was  not  a  very  difficult 
one  to  comply  with. 

No  better  off  was  the  man  who  tried  to  see  how 
the  vital  portion  of  the  thermobike  was  made.  All 
they  could  see  were  rows  of  workmen  engaged  in 
moulding,  forging,  boring,  and  performing  every 
other  process  known  in  mechanics.  Any  one  who 
chose  could  take  the  thermobike  to  pieces,  analyze  it, 
and  see  how  it  was  made.  A  careful  examination 
by  scientific  experts  showed  how  the  machine  oper- 
ated. The  "  bike,"  as  it  was  familiarly  called  from 
the  beginning,  was  driven  by  a  petroleum  lamp,  the 
chimney  of  which  was  lined  with  aluminium  bronze. 
Outside  this  lining  was  a  layer,  half  an  inch  thick, 
of  a  substance  which  seemed  to  defy  physical  exami- 
nation. It  was  unacted  on  by  acids  and  had  no 

30 


The   City    of  the   Potomac 

chemical  properties.  Exposed  to  intense  heat,  it 
was  resolved  into  a  few  commonplace  substances, 
mostly  silicon  and  carbon.  It  was  a  very  poor  con- 
ductor of  electricity.  Outside  this  again  was  a  sec- 
ond metal  cylinder.  When  the  lamp  was  lit  the  in- 
terior and  exterior  cylinders  at  once  became  the 
poles  of  a  powerful  electric  battery.  The  current 
from  this  battery  was  passed  round  the  rim  of  a 
wheel,  which  again  was  coated  with  a  substance 
having  a  peculiar  relation  to  electricity.  As  the 
current  passed  in  one  direction,  the  wheel  turned  with 
great  force  and  any  required  speed  in  the  other. 
What  was  most  singular  was  that  scientific  exami- 
nation showed  nearly  all  the  energy  set  free  by  the 
petroleum  to  be  turned  into  effective  work  in  the 
turning  of  the  wheel.  The  heat  from  a  very  small 
lamp  sufficed  to  run  a  bike  with  any  required  speed. 

The  same  principle  was  soon  applied  to  the  manu- 
facture of  the  new  kind  of  automobile  carriage,  or 
"  mobie,"  as  we  now  call  it. 

So  the  mysterious  vehicles  were  rapidly  coming 
into  use  without  any  one  being  able  to  penetrate 
the  secret  of  their  operation.  .  V 


Ill 

An  Italian  Romance 

IT  goes  without  saying  that  the  interest  in  what 
was  going  on  at  Campbelltown,  for  such  was  the 
natural  name  of  the  new  town,  soon  spread 
from  America  to  Europe  and  thence  over  the 
world.  Bikes  and  mobies  were  wanted  everywhere. 
Manufacturers  of  bicycles,  carriages,  and  machinery 
of  every  kind  would  have  liked  to  supply  this  grow- 
ing demand.  As  this  was  clearly  impossible  with- 
out Campbell's  co-operation,  the  efforts  which  capi- 
talists and  manufacturers  had  already  made  in 
America  were  now  seconded  by  those  of  Europe. 
By  expending  two  or  three  million  dollars  in  each 
European  country  in  the  necessary  manufacturing 
plant,  a  prospect  of  reaping  rich  profits  was  opened. 
Steps  were  first  taken  by  the  Rothschilds.  They  or- 
ganized a  combination  of  well-known  capitalists  on 
both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  chose  a  committee  of  the 
ablest  and  most  prominent  men,  including  the  best 
of  those  who  had  business  relations  with  the  Anita 
Company,  and  despatched  it  to  headquarters  to  see 
what  could  be  done. 

Meantime  Campbell  had  assumed  an  almost  regal 
32 


An   Italian   Romance 

inaccessibility  to  visitors.  He  took  good  care,  how- 
ever, to  have  a  system  by  which  no  person  having 
really  serious  and  important  business  should  be 
obliged  to  depart  without  having  an  interview  either 
with  him  or  with  some  one  who  could  determine 
whether  an  interview  was  necessary.  The  Roth- 
schild committee  had  no  difficulty  in  securing 
an  audience.  It  set  forth  its  objects  in  a  moderate 
way,  laying  great  stress  on  the  immense  benefits 
which  could  be  conferred  on  the  people  of  Europe 
if  Campbell  would  either  place  manufacturers  in 
possession  of  his  secret,  or  establish  branch  works  in 
various  countries  of  the  same  general  character  as 
those  at  Campbelltown. 

"  We  venture  to  approach  you  with  this  proposi- 
tion only  because  you  have  on  various  occasions 
stated  that  your  first  object  is  to  promote  the  welfare 
of  humanity  in  general,  and  that  you  are  compara- 
tively indifferent  to  accumulating  wealth  for  your 
own  use  beyond  such  limit  as  you  may  find  neces- 
sary to  carry  out  your  beneficent  projects.  We  ap- 
pear before  you  neither  as  rivals  nor  as  seekers  of 
your  bounty,  but  as  representative  men,  able  and 
willing  to  aid  in  extending  the  benefits  of  your  dis- 
coveries to  men  the  world  over  who  are  impatient 
to  share  in  them." 

"  I  entirely  sympathize  with  your  objects,"  was 

the  reply.     "  It  has  all  along  been  my  intention  to 

enable  mankind  to  share  in  the  benefits  to  which 

you  allude,  as  rapidly  as  possible.     The  only  point 

c  33 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

of  divergence  between  us  is  that  perhaps  you  want 
to  go  ahead  a  little  faster  than  seems  to  me  condu- 
cive to  ultimate  success.  If  we  reflect  that  the  high- 
est form  of  civilization  existed  for  centuries  with- 
out the  thermic  engine,  may  we  not  concede  it  pos- 
sible for  men  to  wait  two  or  three  years  longer  for 
its  full  development  ? 

"  I  intend,  as  soon  as  possible,  to  found  an  estab- 
lishment in  Europe  corresponding  to  this  in  Amer- 
ica. Moreover,  when  this  central  branch  is  set  up 
I  shall  proceed  to  the  establishment  of  local  branches 
in  other  countries.  I  shall  be  quite  ready  to  see 
companies  formed  for  the  establishment  and  admin- 
istration of  these  local  branches.  But  the  central 
branch  I  must  establish  as  my  own.  As  soon  as 
that  is  in  full  operation,  I  shall,  step  by  step,  grant 
every  facility  for  carrying  on  the  manufactures  in 
other  European  countries  with  all  possible  despatch." 

"  May  we  ask  when  and  where  your  European 
branch  will  be  set  up  ?" 

"  I  must  ask  to  be  excused  from  any  statement 
on  the  subject  at  present,  beyond  the  fact  that  I  hope 
to  decide  the  question  within  a  few  months." 

The  fact  was  that  for  a  year  past  Campbell  had 
been  actively  at  work  in  Europe,  in  a  way  of  which 
the  world  was  quite  ignorant.  A  young  American 
lawyer  had  spent  an  entire  summer  in  Spain,  Por- 
tugal, and  Italy,  studying  the  laws  of  land  tenure 
in  these  countries,  and  their  applications  to  the  isl- 
ands owned  by  them.  Maps  of  Madeira,  the  Bale- 

34 


An   Italian    Romance 

aric  Islands,  Elba,  and  the  shores  of  the  Adriatic 
had  been  collected.  A  party  of  three  or  four  men 
had  personally  visited  all  these  islands,  made  the 
acquaintance  of  some  of  their  leading  inhabitants, 
and  begun  a  general  survey  of  their  productions. 
It  was  due  to  the  discretion  with  which  they  proceed- 
ed that  they  did  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  police 
as  suspicious  characters.  Architects  in  Chicago 
were  preparing  plans  of  palaces,  and  artists  of  Paris 
were  negotiating  for  the  employment  of  Chinese 
carvers.  Men  were  spying  out  the  arsenals  and 
factories  of  arms  in  every  part  of  the  Continent  with 
the  same  secrecy,  and  reporting  the  results  of  their 
inquiries  at  Campbelltown,  which  was  thus  rapidly 
becoming  a  depot  of  information,  the  object  of 
which  no  outsider  could  at  the  time  have  divined, 
even  had  he  known  of  its  collection. 

Great  was  the  public  interest  when  it  became 
known  that  the  president  of  the  Anita  Company 
would  establish  a  branch  of  his  works  in  some  Euro- 
pean country.  Every  indication  of  his  plan  was 
eagerly  watched.  There  was  no  way  of  gratifying 
public  curiosity  as  to  where  the  branch  would  be 
located,  except  by  waiting  to  see,  a  necessity  under 
which  the  newspapers  chafed.  They  were  soon 
electrified  by  the  announcement  that  he  had  taken 
passage  from  New  York  to  Genoa.  But  what  it 
meant  they  could  not  imagine.  His  departure  was 
not  known  until  the  very  day  on  which  the  ship 
sailed,  when  his  name  was  found  among  the  list  of 

35 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

passengers.  On  landing  he  was  at  once  besieged  by 
reporters  who  had  been  sent  on  in  advance  to  in- 
terview him.  But  he  refused  to  say  anything  ex- 
cept that  he  was  in  Italy  on  business  of  his  own. 
He  took  rooms  at  a  hotel,  and  secretly  engaged  a 
carriage  to  call  for  him  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing. He  got  into  it  and  drove  off.  Then  for  sev- 
eral days  nothing  certain  was  heard  of  him.  At 
the  end  of  a  week  it  was  learned  that  he  was  inspect- 
ing the  island  of  Elba.  It  was  soon  announced 
from  Rome  that  his  European  branch  would  be  lo- 
cated on  that  island,  and  that  its  erection  would  be 
begun  immediately.  Before  his  return  he  paid  a  visit 
to  the  President  of  the  Italian  Republic,  with  whom 
he  had  a  conference  which  lasted  several  hours. 
Then  he  returned  to  Genoa  and  sailed  for  home 
after  a  stay  of  less  than  two  weeks. 

This  was  all  the  reporters  could  find  out  about  the 
movements  of  the  man  they  were  chasing.  With 
the  more  ample  sources  of  information  at  our  dis- 
posal, we  are  able  to  fill  the  gaps  in  their  history. 
To  do  so  we  must  begin  by  narrating  an  almost 
forgotten  incident  near  the  city  of  Florence  nearly 
twenty  years  before.  Campbell,  newly  graduated 
from  Harvard,  was  spending  a  year  in  Italy,  and, 
at  the  time  of  which  we  speak,  was  studying  in  Flor- 
ence. One  morning,  while  walking  near  the  hill  of 
Arcetri,  he  saw  a  runaway  landau,  drawn  by  two 
horses  and  containing  four  people,  coming  towards 
him.  As  they  approached  him  he  stood  squarely 

36 


An    Italian    Romance 

in  the  middle  of  the  road,  until  the  horses  were  al- 
most upon  him.  Then  he  ran  forward  a  few  steps 
to  diminish  the  force  of  the  shock,  sprang  upon 
the  tongue  of  the  coach  between  the  two  animals, 
and  seized  the  bridles.  He  was  thus  enabled,  with 
the  aid  of  a  few  gentle  words,  to  bring  the  team  to 
a  standstill,  just  before  a  turn  in  the  road  which 
might  have  been  fatal  was  reached.  But  he  suffered 
much  in  the  encounter.  The  end  of  the  tongue  struck 
him  in  the  face  as  he  was  jumping  upon  it,  tearing 
and  bruising  the  flesh  and  knocking  out  one  of  his 
teeth. 

The  occupants  of  the  carriage  were  the  Duke  of 
Bernaletti,  with  his  wife,  son,  and  ten-year-old 
daughter.  As  they  took  their  rescuer  to  their  home, 
the  most  touching  feature  of  the  case  was  the  intense 
concern  of  the  little  girl.  She  cried  and  lamented 
over  his  injury,  and  during  the  whole  drive  gave  vent 
to  the  hope  that  he  would  not  die.  Although  his  in- 
juries were  severe,  his  recovery  was  rapid.  In  a 
couple  of  weeks  he  took  leave  of  the  family,  and  soon 
after  returned  home. 

In  the  course  of  time  the  impression  of  the  Duke 
and  his  chateau  had  nearly  faded  from  the  mind  of 
the  young  man,  who  had  soon  become  a  professor. 
But  there  was  one  voice  which  never  ceased  to  sound 
in  his  ears  as  clearly  as  if  he  had  heard  it  but  yester- 
day. It  was  that  of  the  little  child  who  forgot  the 
danger  she  had  run  in  her  sympathy  for  him.  "  Are 
you  much  hurt,  sir?  Does  it  pain  you?  You  will 

37 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

not  die,  will  you,  sir?  Oh!  papa,  the  surgeon  will 
cure  him,  will  he  not  ?" 

When  he  next  visited  Florence,  seven  years  later, 
he  found  Tiana  budding  into  womanhood.  It  seem- 
ed to  him  that  the  tenderness  of  feeling  she  had 
shown  as  a  child  had  so  permeated  her  nature  that 
she  was  now  the  very  embodiment  of  purity,  sweet- 
ness, and  love.  Let  us  not  blame  him  if,  under  such 
an  influence,  he  lost  no  chance  to  make  himself 
agreeable  to  the  young  lady,  and  perhaps  strained 
the  rigid  etiquette  of  the  country  a  little  in  his 
efforts  to  win  her  affection.  Knowing  how  hopeless 
would  be  a  suit  prosecuted  in  the  regular  Italian 
way,  his  only  excuse  for  the  course  he  took  was  the 
hope  that  he  might,  by  the  scientific  discoveries 
which  he  saw  almost  within  his  grasp,  not  only  be- 
come the  greatest  benefactor  of  modern  times,  but 
win  a  position  which  the  proudest  ducal  family  in 
Europe  would  accept  as  the  equivalent  of  princely 
birth. 

It  will  not  surprise  our  readers  to  learn  that,  in 
a  few  hours  after  the  reporters  lost  track  of  him 
at  Genoa,  he  was  once  more  a  guest  at  the  Bernaletti 
palace. 

"  Will  you  not  accompany  me  to  Elba,"  said  the 
guest  at  lunch,  "  and  see  what  I  am  going  to  do  ? 
We  shall  drive  over  the  island  together  while  I  fix 
upon  a  point  for  my  establishment.  Permit  me  to 
assure  you  that  sympathy  is,  at  the  present  moment, 
one  of  my  greatest  wants.  Please  give  me  the  honor 

38 


An   Italian    Romance 
and  the  pleasure  of  your  company,  if  you  possibly 


can." 

"  I  shall  think  the  matter  over  in  the  course  of  the 
afternoon/'  said  the  Duke.  "  If  you  will  wait  until 
morning,  we  shall  see  whether  I  can  accompany 
you." 

On  rising  from  the  table  he  sought  a  moment  to 
whisper  one  word  to  the  daughter. 

"  Do  you  remember,"  said  he  "  my  once  telling  you 
that  I  would  try  to  be  the  best  man  in  the  world 
for  your  sake?" 

"I— think— I— do;  it  was  at  the  Villa  Carlotta, 
was  it  not  ?" 

"  I  am  going  to  keep  on  trying,  all  for  your  sake." 

"But  there  is  no  need  of  your  doing  it  for  my 
sake.  You  know  I  am  going  to  be  a  sister  in  the 
convent." 

"  Do  not  say  that.  I  cannot  endure  hearing  you 
say  it." 

She  hurried  from  the  room,  and  he  saw  her  no 
more  until  dinner-time.  Next  morning  he  had  only 
a  chance  to  say  one  word  to  her  before  leaving. 

"  Please  never  forget  me,  as  I  shall  never  forget 
you." 

"  A  sister  must  sometimes  forget  what  she  would 
gladly  remember,"  was  the  only  reply. 

The  two  men  left  for  Elba.  Campbell  had  char- 
tered a  steamer  to  carry  them  from  point  to  point 
on  the  coast  of  the  island.  They  first  touched  at 
Porto  Ferrajo. 

39 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

"  Here,"  said  Campbell,  "  I  intend  to  found  a 
great  city,  which  shall  be  for  Europe  what  Campbell- 
town  is  for  America." 

Next  morning  they  re-embarked,  continued  their 
journey  westward,  and  landed  at  Brocchio.  There  a 
carriage  was  engaged,  and  they  drove  to  the  base 
of  Mount  Campanne,  where  they  changed  to  a  small 
mountain-cart  drawn  by  two  mules,  and  proceeded 
to  make  the  ascent  of  the  mountain. 

The  Duke  noticed  that  his  companion,  who  had 
shown  a  sparkling  vivacity  and  fiery  enthusiasm  in 
unfolding  his  plans  for  the  future,  now  became  si- 
lent, abstracted,  and  even  melancholy.  Every  now 
and  then  he  closed  his  eyes  as  if  in  deep  thought. 
He  felt  some  concern  at  such  a  change  under  condi- 
tions that  should  have  produced  the  opposite  effect. 
At  every  turn  of  the  narrow  road  there  was  a  new 
and  wider  view  both  of  the  Mediterranean  and  of 
the  island,  which  was  to  him  a  source  of  exhilara- 
tion, but  seemed  to  the  other  a  source  of  depression. 
He  tried  to  interest  him  in  the  view. 

"  Is  it  not  beautiful  ?"  he  said. 

"  It  is,  and  I  hope  it  will  be  still  more  so  when 
we  reach  the  top."  Then,  as  if  exhausted,  he  again 
relapsed  into  a  fit  of  abstraction. 

After  two  hours'  drive  in  their  rough  vehicle,  the 
summit  was  reached.  Now  a  view  was  disclosed 
quite  unlike  any  that  either*  of  the  spectators  had 
before  seen.  Below  their  feet,  towards  the  east, 
the  island  stretched  its  length  beyond  the  horizon. 

40 


An  Italian  Romance 

The  port  from  which  they  had  started  seemed  al- 
most beneath  them.  In  every  other  direction  the 
blue  waters  of  the  Mediterranean  bounded  the  hori- 
zon. To  the  west  and  southwest  the  mountains  of 
Corsica  were  as  gray  clouds  resting  on  the  water. 
The  bright  rays  of  the  sun  softened  everything 
round  them  in  a  way  that  one  sees  only  in  Italy. 

The  elder  of  the  two  men  wondered  why  his 
companion  had  brought  him  up.  He  seemed  so 
meditative  that  he  would  have  given  many  a  penny 
for  his  thoughts.  The  fact  is,  he  was  dwelling  on 
the  plans  which  had  for  years  centred  round  this 
place.  Would  they  ever  be  realized?  Was  this 
to  be  the  seat  of  future  empire?  Would  the  most 
splendid  of  palaces  rear  its  dome  upon  the  spot 
where  they  were  standing?  He  at  length  ventured 
a  word  to  his  companion. 

"  What  will  our  posterity  see  who  shall  look  upon 
this  place  a  hundred  years  from  now?  If  I  have 
my  way,  we  shall  see  much  before  many  years  are 
over." 

Seating  himself  on  a  rock,  he  took  from  his  pocket 
a  roll  of  tracing-paper,  on  which  was  copied  the  plan 
and  front  elevation  of  a  building. 

"  Here  is  the  site  which  I  have  chosen  for  my 
possible  future  residence.  Here  is  the  proposed 
plan ;  what  think  you  of  it  ?" 

The  old  man  scanned  the  drawing.  "  That  will 
be  the  grandest  and  most  beautiful  palace  I  ever 
saw ;  but  why  erect  it  in  so  inaccessible  a  situation  ? 

41 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

How  will  you  ever  get  even  the  materials  to  build 
it  up  here?  And  when  your  house  is  done  you 
must  either  be  a  monk  in  a  monastery  or  build  a 
mountain  railway." 

"  Or  call  it  a  convent,"  thought  the  other. 

"  The  machinery  which  I  command  will  trans- 
port the  materials  without  difficulty ;  but  this  is  a  de- 
tail into  which  we  need  not  go  at  present.  I  have 
brought  you  up  here,  first  of  all,  to  give  you  some 
idea  of  the  future  extent  of  my  European  establish- 
ment. I  have  also  a  favor  to  ask  of  you.  On,  the 
first  day  of  every  month,  after  I  begin  to  build,  I 
shall  have  a  photograph  of  my  rising  palace  taken, 
showing  its  steady  progress  from  foundation  upward. 
I  ask  permission  to  have  copies  of  these  pictures  sent 
you  regularly  for  the  use  of  your  family." 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  that  is  rather  doing  me  a 
favor,  and  it  is  one  which  I  shall  accept  with  great 
pleasure." 

"Perhaps  you  would  like  to  know  the  name  of 
the  city  I  shall  found  here.  I  shall  call  it  Urani- 
berg,  the  city  of  heaven." 

Descending  to  the  plain,  Campbell  spent  another 
day  in  conference  with  his  chief  manager  at  the  sta- 
tion, and  then  sailed  for  home. 

It  was  fortunate  that  during  the  voyage  home 
the  daily  papers  could  not  reach  his  ship.  Among 
all  the  eccentricities  which  had  marked  his  conduct 
there  was  none  to  compare  with  that  of  choosing 
such  a  place  for  a  great  manufacturing  establish- 

42 


An    Italian    Romance 

ment.  If  he  could  have  seen  the  comments  on  his 
doings,  the  questions  raised  as  to  his  sanity,  the  dis- 
cussions as  to  what  might  be  done  to  bring  him  to 
his  senses  or  to  deprive  him  of  control  over  his  own 
works,  and  the  torrents  of  abuse  poured  upon  him 
on  all  sides,  he*  would  have  been  saved  from  discom- 
fort only  by  forming  a  contemptuous  opinion  of 
human  -nature. 

He  had  made  arrangements  for  purchasing  or 
leasing  a  considerable  portion  of  the  island.  With- 
in a  few  months  a  city  began  to  take  form,  and  an 
army  of  laborers  was  engaged  in  erecting  machin- 
ery of  the  same  sort  as  was  in  operation  at  Camp- 
belltown.  But  there  was  no  Coliseum.  Much  as 
the  world  wondered,  no  one  anticipated  that  the  lit- 
tle island  in  the  Ligurian  Sea  was  to  be  the  centre 
from  which  the  sun  of  the  Golden  Age  should  send 
its  rays. 


IV 

The    Angelic    Order    of  Seraphim 

PUBLIC  attention  was  so  concentrated  upon  the 
eccentric  doings  at  Campbelltown  that  cer- 
tain minor  features  of  the  situation  were 
overlooked,  even  by  the  red-headed  man.  One  was 
the  number  of  college  athletes  that  Campbell  took 
into  his  service.  It  is  hardly  an  exaggeration  to  say 
that  every  enthusiastic  football  player  who  gradu- 
ated at  any  college  in  the  land  during  the  years 
1942-44  received  through  some  friend  or  travel- 
ling agent  a  glowing  account  of  the  advantages 
offered  to  young  men  of  enterprise  and  ability  by 
the  great  factory  for  bikes  and  mobies.  If  the 
young  man  had  some  profession  in  view,  he  was  told 
that  Campbell  would  need  men  of  almost  every  pro- 
fession, and  would  give  every  encouragement  and 
facility  in  its  study,  even  to  supplying  money  should 
it  be  required.  If  he  replied  that  Campbell  could 
have  no  rational  object  in  patronizing  a  young  man 
he  never  saw  or  heard  of,  he  was  reminded  that  the 
ways  of  the  owner  of  Campbelltown  were  past  find- 
ing out;  that  the  youth  had  better  go  and  see  him; 

44 


The  Angelic    Order    of  Seraphim 

that  free  transportation  was  ready,  and  that  when  he 
arrived  he  might  find  that  his  reputation  for  schol- 
arship and  enterprise  had  preceded  him. 

Few  could  resist  the  temptation  to  see  the  famous 
establishment.  Arriving  at  the  gate  of  the  fac- 
tory, the  doubting  and  diffident  youth  had  only  to 
state  his  errand  to  be  immediately  shown  into  the 
office  of  the  manager,  by  whom  he  was  received 
with  the  greatest  urbanity. 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  introduce  you  to  the 
president  of  the  company,  as  he  is  engaged  at  this 
moment;  but  if  you  will  let  me  know  your  feelings 
on  the  subject  of  entering  the  service  of  the  Anita 
Company,  I  shall  gladly  see  what  can  be  done." 

"  Well,  really,  sir,  I  have  had  no  idea  of  ask- 
ing employment  here.  A  few  days  ago  I  met  a 
friend  who  expressed  a  strong  desire  that  I  should 
come,  and  who,  curiously  enough,  was  supplied  with, 
a  free  ticket  here,  which  he  gave  me  to  use.  My 
intention  always  has  been  to  study  architecture  at 
New  York,  and  I  do  not  feel  like  changing  that  plan. 
You  may  therefore  consider  that  I  am  here  out  of 
pure  curiosity." 

"  Your  plan  will  meet  our  views  exactly.  The 
Anita  Company  has  constant  need  of  architects  in 
extending  the  limits  of  its  town  and  in  putting  up 
buildings  elsewhere.  This  need  will  increase  dur- 
ing the  next  few  years  rather  than  diminish.  We 
shall  be  very  glad  to  have  you  continue  your  studies 
in  architecture  under  our  auspices.  If  money  will 

45 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

help,  we  are  ready  to  advance  it.  The  fact  is,  our 
president  always  takes  the  greatest  interest  in  able 
young  men  studying  a  profession,  and  is  ready  to 
do  all  he  can  to  promote  them." 

'  That  is  very  attractive,  but  I  do  not  see  the 
slightest  reason  why  the  Anita  Company  should  be- 
stow any  such  position  on  me.  I  do  not  deny  that 
the  help  you  propose  would  be  very  welcome,  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  I  have  absolutely  nothing  to 
offer  in  return.  I  cannot,  therefore,  consent  to  re- 
ceive it  at  this  time." 

"  There  is  not  the  slightest  occasion  for  any  dif- 
fidence. Only  two  conditions  are  attached  to  our 
arrangements.  One  is  that,  during  the  course  of 
your  studies,  you  shall  come  down  here  once  or 
twice  a  month  to  meet  other  young  men  like  yourself 
and  have  a  good  time  together.  You  can  come  down 
on  Saturday  and  return  on  Sunday,  so  as  not  to 
interfere  with  your  work  in  any  way.  The  other 
condition  is  that,  whenever  the  proper  time  comes, 
and  you  feel  that  you  can  do  something  on  your  own 
account,  you  will  give  us  a  chance  of  accepting 
your  services.  I  forgot — there  is  a  third  condition. 
We  do  not  desire  you  to  say  anything  about  this  ar- 
rangement. It  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  tribute  from 
our  company  to  a  few  of  the  best  young  men  of  the 
country;  and  we  do  not  wish  to  be  overwhelmed 
with  applications  from  others." 

In  the  large  majority  of  cases  so  tempting  an 
offer  could  not  be  declined.  To  some  selected  youths 

46 


The   Angelic   Order   of  Seraphim 

who  were  willing  to  undertake  it  immediate  em- 
ployment was  offered.  It  might  be  clerical  or  tech- 
nical; it  might  be  nothing  more  than  overlook- 
ing the  building  of  a  house,  the  making  of  motors, 
or  the  running  of  machinery  that  the  youth  knew 
nothing  about.  If  he  objected  on  the  score  of  ig- 
norance, he  was  told  that  he  only  had  to  learn. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  speak,  the  number  of 
selected  young  men  who  were  either  in  the  employ 
of  the  company  or  studying  under  its  auspices 
amounted  to  several  hundred.  All  who  were  able 
to  do  so  visited  Campbelltown  on  the  first  and  third 
Saturday  of  every  month.  Here  they  dined  at  a 
hospitable  table,  presided  over  by  Gheen  or  the 
manager,  and  met  their  friends  employed  in  the  works. 
Naturally  enough,  the  young  men  wondered  much 
what  possible  object  the  Anita  Company  could  have 
in  all  this.  The  only  explanation  that  could  be 
offered  was  that  the  president  was  a  queer  fellow, 
unlike  other  men  in  every  point,  conducting  his 
business  on  principles  utterly  different  from  any  on 
which  business  had  ever  been  conducted  before.  Im- 
penetrable as  to  his  motives  and  invisible  in  his 
ways,  the  only  certain  facts  were  that  he  was  piling 
up  money  by  the  million  and  was  ready  to  expend 
some  of  it  in  this  odd  way.  So  the  best  policy 
was  to  accept  what  was  offered  and  ask  no  ques- 
tions. 

One  evening  at  a  reunion  a  special  invitation  was 
extended  to  about  a  hundred  of  the  company  to 

47 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

call  in  a  body  on  the  president  after  dinner.  The 
guests  were  first  shown  into  a  spacious  anteroom. 
In  one  corner  was  a  book  containing  a  pledge  of 
absolute  secrecy  as  to  the  meeting  about  to  be  held. 
Each  was  asked  to  sign  this  pledge.  As  he  did  so 
a  little  ticket  was  handed  to  him  by  which  he  was 
to  gain  admittance  to  the  assembly.  The  men  were 
then  shown  into  a  spacious  reception  -  room,  at 
one  end  of  which  sat  the  president,  the  tickets  being 
taken  at  the  door.  They  passed  him  in  single  file, 
each  being  introduced  by  Gheen,  and  then  sat  in 
several  circles  around  the  room  waiting  for  what 
was  to  come  next.  The  president  addressed  them 
to  the  following  effect: 

"  I  believe,  gentlemen,  that  you  have  all  stood 
in  a  more  or  less  intimate  relation  to  the  Anita  Com- 
pany. The  end  and  objects  of  that  relation  may 
seem  very  mysterious.  You  must  excuse  me  if 
I  am  not  able  at  the  present  moment  to  unfold  the 
mystery  in  its  entirety.  I  may,  however,  do  so  in 
part.  You  see  me  here  in  sole  possession  of  an 
enormous  source  of  wealth  and  power.  I  have  none 
of  the  ordinary  motives  for  accumulating  wealth. 
I  have  no  family,  no  children ;  so  far  as  I  am  aware, 
no  near  relatives.  The  whole  human  race  is  one  to 
me,  and  my  greatest  object  in  life  is  to  do  what  I  can 
towards  promoting  its  happiness.  Of  course  I  must 
have  helpers.  No  helpers  can  be  more  effective  than 
the  best  and  most  energetic  of  our  college  graduates. 
This  is  why  I  have  called  you  together.  We  must 

48 


The   Angelic    Order   of  Seraphim 

work  together  as  a  unit.  The  first  condition  of  our 
success  is  absolute  loyalty  on  the  part  of  each  mem- 
ber of  our  organization,  both  to  myself,  its  patron, 
and  the  organization  as  a  whole.  What  I  therefore 
propose  is  the  formation  of  a  secret  order  pledged 
to  fealty  and  obedience,  and  ready  to  act  together 
whenever  called  upon. 

"  It  may  be  that  many  among  you  do  not  feel  dis- 
posed to  form  such  an  order,  or  to  engage  yourselves 
in  the  way  I  have  suggested.  All  such  are  at  per- 
fect liberty  to  leave,  if,  after  thinking  the  matter 
over  during  the  next  four  weeks,  they  choose  to  do 
so.  They  have  only  to  remember  that  the  pledge  of 
secrecy  as  to  what  I  have  here  said  has  been  taken, 
and  remains  absolute.  All  who  feel  like  entering 
what  I  shall  call  the  new  order  and  subscribing  to  its 
pledges  are  invited  to  meet  again  four  weeks  from 
to-day.  At  that  time  as  many  of  you  as  are  willing 
to  form  the  nucleus  of  the  order  are  invited  to  be 
here.  Until  then,  good-bye." 

The  question  which  burdened  Campbell's  mind 
during  the  next  four  weeks  was  whether  it  was  pos- 
sible that  no  one  of  that  hundred  young  men  would 
betray  the  secret.  Every  day  the  newspapers  were 
searched  to  see  if,  in  the  numerous  accounts  of  what 
was  goiong  on  at  Campbelltown,  there  was  anything 
about  this  meeting.  It  was  a  real  surprise  to  him 
to  find  that  not  even  the  red-headed  man  had  found 
out  anything  on  the  subject. 

Mystery  has  its  attractions  for  youth.  Our  read- 
D  49 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

ers  will  not  be  surprised  to  learn  that  ninety  of  those 
present  at  the  first  meeting  appeared  at  the  second. 
On  entering,  each  was  asked  whether  he  was  pre- 
pared to  sign  the  pledge  of  the  new  order.  Reply- 
ing in  the  affirmative,  he  was  asked  to  read  and  sign 
the  following,  which  was  printed  at  the  top  of  each 
page  of  a  thin  blank-book. 

"  We,  the  members  of  the  proposed  Angelic  Or- 
der of  Seraphim,  pledge  our  sacred  honor  to  keep 
all  the  secrets  of  said  order;  to  be  true  and  loyal 
under  all  circumstances  both  to  each  other  and  to 
the  patron  of  the  order,  Archibald  Campbell;  to 
place  ourselves  at  his  service  whenever  required,  and 
to  obey  all  orders  received  from  him." 

Under  the  first  of  these  printed  pledges  was  writ- 
ten the  following,  of  which  all  were  invited  to  take 
notice : 

"  I,  Archibald  Campbell,  president  of  the  Anita 
Company  and  patron  of  the  Angelic  Order  of  Sera- 
phim, hereby  pledge  myself  to  perform  all  my  du- 
ties as  patron  of  that  order,  and,  to  the  best  of  my 
ability,  to  see  that  none  of  its  members  ever  suffer 
want. — ARCHIBALD  CAMPBELL." 

When  all  was  ready,  the  patron  again  briefly  ad- 
dressed them: 

"  Gentlemen,  I  have  not  much  to  add  to  what  I 
said  to  you  at  our  last  meeting.  The  name  of  our 
order  has  been  made  known  to  you.  Its  appropri- 
ateness is  not  yet  apparent — it  will  not  be  apparent 
until  we  have  our  initiation  ceremonies,  which  may 

50 


The   Angelic    Order   of  Seraphim 

not  occur  for  several  months,  perhaps  not  for  a  year 
or  more.  They  will  be  extremely  interesting.  It 
is  not  too  much  to  say  they  will  be  as  a  new  reve- 
lation to  you.  You  will  find  yourselves  possessed 
of  powers  never  before  given  by  God  to  man.  Mean- 
while let  us  pursue  our  usual  vocations.  I  shall 
expect  you  to  spend  a  good  deal  of  your  time  in 
these  precincts.  It  is  desirable  that  the  order  be 
enlarged  to  about  three  hundred  members.  I  must 
ask  your  assistance  in  doing  this.  If  any  of  you 
know  good  and  true  young  men  who  may  be  willing 
to  come  in,  and  whom  you  feel  safe  in  trusting  with 
your  honor,  consult  them  discreetly  on  the  subject, 
give  their  names,  and  let  their  records  be  examined. 
I  shall  expect  you  to  meet  and  talk  together  every 
month,  and,  during  the  interval,  to  engage  in  such 
exercises  as  will  be  prepared  for  you." 

At  the  next  Saturday's  meeting  of  the  Angelic 
Order  the  members  were  invited  to  accompany  Gheen 
to  the  Coliseum  and  see  what  was  there  going 
on.  Breathless  was  their  curiosity  as  they  approach- 
ed the  mysterious  place.  An  odd  scene  met  their 
eyes  on  entering.  Near  one  end  of  the  enclosure 
were  erected  two  rows  of  massive  iron  towers  about 
sixty  feet  apart  and  fifty  feet  in  height.  Stout 
ropes  passed  between  the  tops,  like  the  wires  of 
a  suspension  bridge.  At  each  end  they  were  con- 
nected with  the  towers  by  a  spiral  spring,  so  that  if 
a  heavy  weight  was  hung  to  one  of  the  ropes  it  would 
sink  to  a  considerable  distance.  Suspended  to  each 

51 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

rope,  near  its  mid-point,  was  an  object  of  singular 
shape  and  aspect.  Seen  externally,  it  looked  like  a 
large  hogshead,  perhaps  six  feet  in  diameter  and  eight 
feet  high.  On  top  of  the  hogshead  was  what  might 
be  a  little  cask  about  a  foot  in  diameter.  This  was 
pierced  round  its  upper  portion  with  little  holes  filled 
with  glass,  giving  the  appearance  of  as  many  eyes. 
On  each  side  of  the  hogshead,  two  feet  below  the  top, 
projected  two  jointed  arms.  Hanging  below  it,  and 
reaching  to  within  ten  feet  of  the  ground,  were  a 
pair  of  jointed  legs.  The  whole  looked  like  a  gro- 
tesque caricature  of  the  human  form.  The  sight 
was  greeted  by  the  arriving  party  with  a  shout  of 
"  Daddy-Long-Legs,"  mixed  with  peals  of  laughter. 

No  other  name  had  ever  been  invented  for  the  ma- 
chine, and  this  one  was  so  appropriate  that  it  stuck. 
Very  soon,  however,  the  last  two  syllables  were 
dropped  as  unnecessary,  and  the  machine  was  called 
the  "  daddie."  This  is  the  origin  of  our  name  for 
the  useful  implement  used  in  lifting  heavy  weights, 
a  term  the  derivation  of  which  would  have  puzzled 
the  most  expert  etymologists  if  its  history  had  not 
been  revealed. 

If  the  spectators  could  have  seen  inside  they 
would  have  found  the  interior  structure  to  be  very 
complex.  Six  vertical  pipes,  each  a  foot  in  diam- 
eter, were  concealed  within  the  hogshead,  around  its 
circumference.  Levers  without  number  were  be- 
tween them.  In  the  centre  of  all  a  man  was  seated 
at  his  ease.  His  foot  pressed  one  system  of  levers 

52 


The   Angelic   Order   of  Seraphim 

and  his  hand  had  hold  of  another  system.  These 
levers  were  connected  by  a  number  of  linked  rods, 
which  again  connected  with  the  arms  and  legs  seen 
externally.  I  will  so  far  reveal  the  secret  in  ad- 
vance as  to  say  that  the  arrangement  was  such  that 
every  motion  that  the  man  made  with  his  arms  or 
legs  was  communicated  by  means  of  etherine  to  the 
corresponding  limb  of  the  daddie  with  a  force  mul- 
tiplied a  hundredfold.  Daddie  might  therefore  be 
described  as  a  being  of  enormous  muscular  force 
wielded  by  a  human  intellect. 

The  pairs  of  towers  supporting  the  daddies  were 
about  one  hundred  feet  apart.  Across  the  line  be- 
tween the  two  central  ones  was  stretched  another 
rope  with  a  netting  suspended  from  it,  and  touching 
the  ground  as  if  a  game  of  gigantic  tennis  was  to  be 
played.  To  make  the  resemblance  complete,  a  huge 
wooden  ball,  two  feet  in  diameter,  bound  round  with 
three  iron  rings,  lay  on  the  ground  beneath  one  of 
the  daddies.  It  must  have  weighed  several  hun- 
dred pounds. 

"  Has  a  race  of  giants  been  playing  tennis  ?"  asked 
the  new-comers. 

"  Commence  the  game !"  cried  the  leader. 

The  daddie  beneath  whose  feet  the  ball  lay  im- 
mediately dipped  towards  the  ground,  tightening  the 
rope  and  stretching  the  springs.  He  seized  the 
ball  between  his  feet  as  lightly  and  easily  as  a  man 
would  seize  a  tennis-ball,  drew  it  back,  and  hurled 
it  forward  through  the  air  at  the  other  daddie.  The 

53 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

latter  stooped  to  catch  it  with  his  hands,  but  missed 
it  at  the  first  trial.  It  was  caught  by  a  third  daddie 
and  returned  in  tennis  fashion  to  the  thrower. 

The  game  was  played  through  with  entire  success. 
The  daddie  always  threw  the  ball  with  his  feet,  but 
caught  it  sometimes  with  his  hands  and  sometimes 
with  his  feet.  To  catch  it  with  his  hands  he  some- 
times had  to  throw  himself  in  an  almost  horizontal 
position.  His  dexterity  in  doing  this  seemed  super- 
natural. At  one  moment  he  pulled  and  stretched 
the  string  by  his  weight;  at  another  he  sprang  up- 
ward as  lightly  as  a  ballet-dancer. 

"  Now,"  said  Gheen,  "  your  first  duty  will  be 
to  learn  this  game  and  to  play  it  well.  Only  expert 
players  are  eligible  for  initiation  into  the  Angelic 
Order  of  Seraphim." 

Those  of  the  visitors  who  had  read  Alice  Behind 
the  Looking-Glass  thought  of  the  world  there  pict- 
ured. The  temptation  to  betray  the  secret  of  the 
order  was  diminished  rather  than  increased  by  the 
mystery  of  the  proceedings.  If  they  should  have 
told  all  they  had  seen  going  on  their  hearers  would 
have  thought  they  were  being  made  sport  of. 

During  the  following  weeks  the  number  of  dad- 
dies was  increased,  so  that  one  or  more  games  were 
always  going  on,  and  the  new  men  were  gotten  into 
practice  as  rapidly  as  possible.  At  first  it  was  a 
clumsy  proceeding,  the  exact  connection  between 
the  movements  of  the  player's  limbs  and  the  move- 
ments of  the  daddie  in  which  he  was  seated  was 

54 


The  Angelic    Order    of  Seraphim 

difficult  to  bring  about.  Improvements  were  from 
time  to  time  made  in  the  machine  so  as  to  make  the 
co-ordination  more  perfect. 

Before  a  month  had  passed  a  new  mystery  was 
unveiled.  The  players  with  the  daddie,  entering 
the  Coliseum  one  morning,  saw  at  the  other  end  of 
the  enclosure  a  monstrous  object,  which  certainly 
had  not  'been  there  the  night  before.  In  shape 
it  was  a  giant  centipede.  The  body  of  the  insect 
was  a  flat-bottomed  boat,  a  hundred  feet  in  length, 
thirty  feet  in  breadth,  and  fifteen  or  twenty  feet 
deep.  It  was  suspended  by  a  rope  stretched  be- 
tween two  pillars  much  like  the  daddies,  and  almost 
touched  the  ground. 

Its  numerous  limbs  were  not  unlike  colossal 
human  arms,  fifteen  feet  in  length.  Each  had  a 
joint  at  the  side  of  the  mote  to  which  it  was  fasten- 
ed, an  elbow  near  the  middle,  then  a  wrist-joint, 
and,  instead  of  a  hand,  a  sort  of  two-handed  claw 
which  could  open  out  to  the  extent  of  eighteen 
inches,  and  close  up  when  necessary.  Inside  the 
vessel,  at  each  point  where  an  arm  was  attached,  was 
a  piece  of  apparatus  too  complicated  to  be  described 
in  full  without  drawings.  The  visible  part  consist- 
ed of  a  breast-plate  with  two  openings,  through 
which  a  man  could  thrust  his  hands  and  seize  a  lever 
with  each.  There  were  ten  arms  on  each  side  of  the 
"  centipede,"  as  it  came  to  be  called,  making  twenty 
in  all. 

Campbell  himself  inaugurated  the  exercise  with 
55 


His  Wisdom  the   Defender 

this  machine.  He  took  one  of  his  neophytes 
with  him  into  the  centipede,  showed  him  how  to  get 
hold  of  the  levers  attached  to  the  arm,  and  then  ask- 
ed "him  to  notice  what  could  be  done  with  them. 
On  moving  his  own  arms  it  was  found  that  the  arms 
of  the  centipede  were  mysteriously  affected  by  a  cor- 
responding motion.  Closing  his  hands  together,  the 
immense  claws  of  the  centipede  closed  up ;  then  open- 
ed again  when  the  hands  were  separated.  Raising 
the  lever,  the  shoulder  and  elbow  joints  of  the  cen- 
tipede's arms  rose  in  a  corresponding  way,  and  the 
claws  were  thrown  high  in  the  air. 

"  Now,"  said  Campbell,  "  I  want  you  to  practise 
with  this  until  you  have  all  the  motions,  then  we 
will  see  what  we  can  do  next." 

The  Seraph,  having  got  himself  into  practice,  so 
that  he  was  able  to  move  the  arms  in  any  way  he 
chose,  was  now  told  to  show  his  companions  of  the 
order  how  the  machine  worked.  Two  days  were 
spent  in  getting  about  fifty  men  into  practice.  Then 
a  number  of  large  wooden  logs,  perhaps  a  foot  in 
diameter  and  from  six  to  twelve  feet  long,  were 
placed  on  the  ground  near  the  centipede,  and  with- 
in reach  of  his  arms.  The  men  were,  then  prac- 
tised in  taking  hold  of  these  logs  with  their  giant 
claws,  lifting  them  up  and  placing  them  on  the  deck 
above.  Then  a  platform  was  erected  above  where 
the  logs  lay,  and  the  logs  were  picked  up  and  placed 
upon  it. 

Continued   practice  naturally  suggested   a 
56 


The   Angelic   Order   of  Seraphim 

ber  of  improvements  in  the  construction  of  the 
centipede's  arms  and  of  the  levers  which  moved 
them.  In  time,  however,  the  instrument  was  per- 
fected, and  then  any  number  of  them  could  be  made 
on  the  same  model. 

We  who  look  back  at  the  whole  proceeding  can 
scarcely  imagine  how  eccentric  the  scenes  at  the 
Coliseum  appeared  to  all  concerned  in  them.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  "  Little  Professor,"  as  he  was  fa- 
miliarly called  by  all  those  nearest  to  him,  must  be 
the  most  singular  compound  of  genius  and  insanity 
that  the  world  had  ever  seen.  So  far  as  immediate 
results  were  concerned,  all  his  plans  had  been  made 
and  executed  with  a  success  that  evinced  not  only 
the  greatness  of  his  scientific  powers,  but  the  highest 
order  of  executive  ability.  How  could  a  serious 
man  of  so  much  ability  spend  the  time  he  was  spend- 
ing on  so  singular  a  proceeding  as  this  now  going  on 
in  the  Coliseum  ?  Why  such  secrecy  ?  The  answer 
seemed  obvious.  The  chief  actor  knew  how  ridicu- 
lous his  amusements  would  look  to  the  world  if  they 
should  ever  be  known.  But  this  was  only  a  part  of 
the  truth.  Had  the  real  object  of  all  these  doings 
been  discovered,  not  a  crowned  head  nor  prime-min- 
ister in  Europe  would  have  slept  that  night. 

The  time  had  now  come  when  an  understanding 
whether  Gheen  was  to  be  his  active  agent  in  carrying 
through  his  plans  had  to  be  reached. 

One  morning,  when  the  daddie  and  the  centipede 
were  both  perfected,  Campbell  invited  Gheen  to  a 

57  » 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

conference.  "  I  do  not  want  you  to  do  much  to- 
day. I  want  to  have  a  very  important  talk  with 
you  at  four  o'clock  this  afternoon;  and  I  do  not 
want  you  to  have  anything  on  your  mind  or  to  be 
fatigued  by  the  day's  work.  So  go  where  you 
please.  If  nothing  suits  you  better,  take  a  sail  on 
the  Potomac  and  be  back  here  at  the  appointed 
hour." 

At  the  appointed  hour  the  two  men  sat  in  Camp- 
bell's private  office.  Gheen  was  all  attention. 

"  A  crisis  in  our  arrangements  is  now  approach- 
ing," said  Campbell.  "  It  must  soon  be  decided 
whether  you  shall  be  as  close  to  me  in  the  future  as 
you  have  been  in  the  past,  or  whether  you  shall 
simply  be  the  chief  engineer  of  the  works  here, 
while  some  one  else  takes  your  place  in  confidential 
relations  with  me.  My  proceedings  in  the  erection 
and  running  of  these  works  have  been  marked  by 
what  the  business  world  considers  unaccountable 
eccentricities.  The  exercises  in  the  Coliseum  must 
have  seemed  to  you  and  those  engaged  in  them 
even  more  eccentric  than  my  business  management. 
Is  not  this  the  case  ?" 

"  I  cannot  deny  that  the  management  of  your 
works,  in  which  I  have  taken  a  prominent  part  from 
the  beginning,  has  seemed  to  me  very  mysterious. 
They  have  been  so  mysterious  that  I  am  no  longer 
surprised  at  anything,  not  even  at  what  is  going  on 
in  the  Coliseum." 

"  Now  I  want  to  unravel  to  you  the  whole  mys- 
58 


The   Angelic    Order   of  Seraphim 

tery.  But  I  want  you  in  advance  to  make  me  a 
solemn  and  unconditional  pledge  of  the  most  abso- 
lute secrecy.  This  pledge  is  to  be  equally  binding 
whether  you  take  part  in  my  future  plans  or  not. 
If  you  take  the  leading  part  in  them  which  I  wish 
you  to,  the  secrecy  will  be  necessary  for  your  own 
interests.  If  you  do  not,  you  will  be  concerned  only 
with  the  development  of  the  works,  and  need  not 
be  concerned  in  what  is  going  on  in  the  Coliseum. 
To  make  the  matter  sure,  I  would  like  you  to  sign 
this  pledge." 

Gheen  read  over  the  paper  which  was  handed  to 
him  and  affixed  his  signature.  Campbell  proceeded: 

'  The  world  at  large,  which  considers  the  making 
of  money  to  be  one  of  the  chief  ends  of  man,  or  at 
least  the  ultimate  end  of  those  engaged  in  business, 
cannot  understand  how  I  can  have  any  other  end 
in  view  than  piling  up  wealth.  If,  as  I  have  always 
maintained,  my  tastes  lie  in  the  scientific  direction 
and  not  in  that  of  money,  why  have  I  engaged  in  a 
wealth-producing  enterprise  ?  I  will  tell  you.  I 
am  the  possessor  of  a  power  which,  if  made  public, 
would  result  in  disaster  to  the  human  race,  but 
which,  if  I  wield  it  myself,  so  as  to  carry  out  my 
plans  with  entire  success,  will  revolutionize  the 
world,  and  make  those  who  are  instrumental  in  that 
revolution  the  greatest  benefactors  the  world  has 
ever  seen.  To  speak  plainly,  I  propose  to  put  an 
end  to  war  now  and  forever.  May  I  have  your  co- 
operation in  that  work  ?  Can  you  go  into  the  work 

59 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

of  putting  an  end  to  war  with  an  approving  con- 
science ?" 

"  Abstractly,  I  agree  with  you  that  it  would 
be  an  excellent  thing  to  put  an  end  to  war.  But 
I  cannot  help  regarding  it  as  impracticable.  From 
what  I  know  of  human  nature  I  do  not  see  how  it 
is  possible  to  stop  nations  from  engaging  in  war. 
What  are  armies  for  except  to  fight  ?  How  are  you 
going  to  stop  them  from  fighting  ?" 

"  That  is  the  very  secret  I  wish  to  unfold  to  you 
to-night.  It  is  no  use  to  tell  you  in  advance.  Let 
us  meet  at  the  private  laboratory  at  the  south  end  of 
the  Coliseum  at  nine  o'clock  this  evening.  You 
shall  enjoy  the  experience  of  your  life." 

The  laboratory  here  referred  to  was  a  good-sized 
building,  into  which  Campbell  had  carefully  re- 
moved the  entire  contents  of  the  uncanny  workshop 
described  in  our  first  chapter.  He  had,  during  the 
past  few  months,  spent  much  of  his  time  in  this 
workshop,  improving  and  adding  to  the  singular 
apparatus  which  it  contained. 

At  the  appointed  hour  the  two  men  entered  the 
Coliseum.  The  watchman  in  charge  had  been 
previously  directed  to  make  a  thorough  examination 
of  the  interior  to  see  that  every  one  left  at  the  close 
of  the  day's  work,  and  to  allow  no  one  to  enter  it 
during  the  evening  except  the  owner  and  the  man 
accompanying  him.  Curiously  enough,  Gheen  him- 
self had  never  been  inside  of  this  place.  In  fact, 
none  of  the  employees  had  ever  been  allowed  in  it 

60 


The  Angelic  Order   of  Seraphim 

except   Campbell's   three  workmen,   two   of   whom 
were  the  same  men  that  we  saw  in  Cambridge. 

Campbell  called  Gheen's  attention  to  two  singu- 
lar-looking chairs.  In  shape  they  were  much  like 
ordinary  arm-chairs,  only  much  larger.  They  were 
nicely  cushioned,  and  each  had  a  step  at  the  bottom 
on  which  the  sitter  could  rest  his  feet.  The  up- 
rights were  very  large,  consisting  of  tubes  not  less 
than  three  inches  in  diameter. 

"  Let  us  bring  these  chairs  out,"  said  Campbell. 

Being  mounted  on  rollers,  they  were  pushed  out 
without  difficulty. 

"  Now  I  want  to  tie  these  chairs  together,"  he 
continued.  He  got  a  piece  of  cord  and  thoroughly 
bound  them  side  by  side  by  the  arms,  backs,  and 
spokes.  Then,  opening  a  case  in  the  side  of  the 
room,  he  took  out  two  standing  rods,  with  one  of 
which  we  are  already  familiar,  and  handed  them 
to  Gheen. 

"  Here,  I  want  you  to  take  these  rods  out  and 
put  them  down  through  the  two  tubes  which  you 
see  in  the  back  of  each  chair;  you  will  find  an  ar- 
rangement for  fastening  them  in." 

Gheen  took  the  rods  from  Campbell's  hands,  and, 
as  he  went  out,  noticed  their  singular  behavior. 
They  remained  in  a  vertical  position,  from  which 
they  could  not  be  removed  by  any  force  he  could 
exert.  But  as  they  could  be  picked  up  and  moved 
about  without  any  difficulty  at  all,  they  were  put 
into  the  tubes  as  directed. 

61 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

"  Now  we  need  only  one  more  piece  of  apparatus. 
We  must  attach  these  cranks  to  a  little  handle  which 
you  will  see  projecting  from  the  arms  of  each  chair." 

The  cranks  were  attached. 

"Now  let  us  take  our  seats.  Plant  your  feet 
on  the  foot-rest  and  be  careful  not  to  move  them. 
Now,  I  hope  you  are  a  man  of  nerve.  Graduates  of 
pieces  which  go  across  them.  You  are  tightly  fast- 
tened,  are  you  ?  Now  put  one  foot  on  each  lever,  but 
be  careful  not  to  press  it  until  you  see  me  do  so.  The 
moment  I  say  '  Press,'  press  the  lever  forward  and 
I  will  do  the  same  thing.  Let  us  watch  each  other's 
hands,  so  that  the  pressure  shall  be  simultaneous. 
Now,  I  hope  you  are  a  man  of  nerve.  Graduates  of 
West  Point  ought  to  be.  I  selected  you  with  that  sup- 
position. If  you  have  any  doubt  about  your  nerve, 
just  say  so,  and  we  will  give  up  the  whole  job.  The 
fact  is,  if  you  go  on  you  are  now  to  be  initiated  as 
the  head  of  the  Angelic  Order  of  Seraphim.  Are 
you  ready?" 

"  I  am  ready  for  anything,  and  burning  all  over 
with  curiosity." 

"Now  press!" 

Gheen's  first  impression  on  making  the  motion 
was  that  some  kind  of  a  noiseless  bomb  had  burst 
under  his  chair.  His  second  was  that  somebody 
had  given  it  a  push.  His  third  and  more  correct 
impression  was  that  the  two  chairs,  with  himself  and 
Campbell  in  them,  were  flying  through  the  air.  Be- 
fore he  could  collect  his  thoughts  the  Coliseum  was 

62 


The   Angelic    Order   of   Seraphim 

far  below.  A  vertical  wind  was  felt  blowing  down- 
ward because  of  the  rapid  flight. 

"  Where  are  we  going  ?"  exclaimed  Gheen,  as  soon 
as  he  could  get  his  breath. 

"  Wherever  we  please,"  was  the  reply.  "  Shall 
we  take  a  look  at  Washington  ?" 

Campbell  pressed  the  foot-rest  with  his  left  foot, 
gave  his  levers  a  slight  motion,  and  in  a  few  seconds 
the  faces  of  the  two  men  were  directed  towards  a 
bright  patch  on  the  clouds  in  the  northern  horizon, 
which  they  knew  was  caused  by  the  reflection  of  the 
electric  lights  of  Washington.  In  a  minute  they 
were  flying  with  the  speed  of  a  railway  train.  The 
wind  from  their  rapid  motion  soon  began  to  chill 
them  through. 

"  I  do  not  think  we  need  go  to  Washington,"  said 
Campbell.  "  I  only  want  to  show  you  what  we  can 
do.  Let  us  return  home." 

"  But  how  shall  we  ever  find  our  way  back  ?" 

"  Very  easily.  I  have  a  number  of  lamps  placed 
on  the  ground  in  the  Coliseum  which  shine  directly 
upward  and  can  only  be  seen  from  above.  Imme- 
diately we  see  those  lamps  we  shall  drop  down  upon 
them." 

With  a  slight  motion  of  the  levers  the  chairs  de- 
scribed a  semi-circle,  and  the  men  were  on  the  re- 
turn journey.  The  lights  of  Campbelltown  had 
been  in  sight  all  the  time,  and  there  was  no  diffi- 
culty in  getting  vertically  over  the  Coliseum.  A 
slight  motion  of  the  levers  stopped  the  forward 


His   Wisdom   the  Defender 

course,  and  the  two  chairs  floated  in  the  air  half 
a  mile  above  their  destination. 

"  Now  we  have  to  be  very  cautious.  Going 
down  we  have  no  idea  how  fast  we  may  be  going, 
except  so  far  as  we  can  judge  by  the  wind  we  make. 
Draw  your  lever  back  as  I  do  mine." 

Very  soon  they  were  falling  quite  rapidly,  and 
the  lights  in  the  Coliseum  were  plainly  seen  below. 
Then  the  levers  were  pushed  slightly  forward,  so 
that  the  motion  should  be  checked.  They  slowly 
approached  the  ground  and  landed  outside  the  door 
of  the  workshop. 

"  Now  we  must  be  very  careful  in  getting  out 
of  the  chairs ;  they  still  press  upward  with  our  entire 
weight,  and  if  we  should  leave  them  as  they  are, 
they  would  fly  away  and  we  should  never  see  or  hear 
of  them  again.  That  is  what  we  will  do  to  crimi- 
nals in  the  future,  instead  of  hanging  them.  We 
shall  simply  fasten  a  tube  like  those  in  the  chairs 
to  the  criminal's  body,  attach  a  little  lever,  and  up 
he  will  go,  never  to  be  seen  or  heard  of  again." 

"  I  am  not  sure  that  that  would  be  good  policy 
with  the  negroes,"  said  Gheen.  "  They  would  think 
they  were  bound  straight  to  heaven,  and  would 
rather  like  to  go  out  of  the  world  in  so  glorious  a 
way." 

"  Well,  we  need  not  cross  that  bridge  until  we 
come  to  it.  Let  us  get  our  chairs  safely  into  the 
workshop." 

The  levers  were  moved  into  their  original  posi- 
64 


The  Angelic  Order   of  Seraphim 

tion  and  taken  off.  The  two  men  loosened  them- 
selves and  took  the  chairs  into  the  shop.  The  up- 
rights were  removed  and  put  into  lockers,  and  the 
chairs  placed  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  looking  as 
innocent  as  two  chairs  possibly  could. 

"  I  do  not  think  we  need  discuss  the  matter  further 
to-night.  You  have  got  as  much  as  you  can  think 
about  for  the  present.  I  am  afraid  you  will  not 
sleep  as  it  is.  I  will  merely  tell  you  that  when  I 
fill  the  tubes,  which  you  must  have  noticed  in  the 
daddie  and  centipede,  with  etherine,  we  can  run 
them  through  the  air  as  we  ran  our  chairs  to-night; 
we  can  go  where  we  please  and  do  what  we  please. 
I  may  add,  for  your  peace  of  mind,  that  our  cen- 
tipedes and  daddies  will  all  be  bullet-proof." 

Two  days  later  Gheen,  after  thinking  the  whole 
matter  over,  expressed  to  his  chief  his  willingness 
to  perform  the  duties  of  chief  of  the  Angelic  Order 
of  Seraphim. 


V 

The  First  Motes 

THE  factories  for  the  manufacture  of  alumin- 
ium, bikes,  and  mobies,  which  I  have  al- 
ready described,  were  all  grouped  round  a 
single  nucleus  near  the  end  of  the  bridge  connecting 
the  mainland  with  Peter's  Island.  They  stretched 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  along  the  river-bank  and 
extended  a  half-mile  back.  To  the  northwest  and 
north — that  is,  up  the  river  and  towards  Washington 
— as  well  as  back  from  the  works,  was  built  the  resi- 
dence part  of  the  new  town.  The  region  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  factories 'remained  vacant  till  after 
the  first  year  of  active  operations.  Then  a  brick 
wall,  ten  feet  high,  began  to  extend  itself  from  the 
outer  limit  of  the  works,  half  a  mile  from  the  river, 
first  in  a  southwesterly  direction,  and  then  towards 
the  river,  so  as  to  enclose  a  space  more  than  half  a 
mile  square,  bounded  on  one  side  by  the  river-bank. 

This  enclosure  gradually  became  a  scene  of  ac- 
tivity. Buildings,  first  of  wood  and  then  of  brick, 
were  erected,  chimneys  grew  up,  draftsmen  began  to 
work,  and  pieces  of  massive  machinery  were  trans- 


The  First  Motes 

ported  from  the  great  iron-works  of  Pittsburg  and 
Bethlehem.  Everything  betokened  the  beginning  of 
some  new  manufacture;  but  what  it  was  to  be  no 
one  but  Campbell  seemed  to  know,  and  he  would 
not  tell.  The  first  output  comprised  the  daddies 
and  the  centipede;  then  there  was  a  pause,  during 
which  nothing  was  done  but  to  pile  up  immense 
stores  of  aluminium  and  roll  it  into  huge  cylinders. 

The  policy  of  the  establishment  towards  reporters 
and  curiosity-seekers  was  much  the  same  as  before. 
"  The  only  purpose  of  this  wall,"  they  were  inform- 
ed, "  is  to  guard  against  thieves  and  meddlers.  We 
thought  of  leaving  holes  here  and  there  in  it,  large 
enough  to  look  through,  so  that  you  could  peep  all 
you  chose,  but  we  thought  you  might  consider  that 
rather  undignified.  So  we  have  made  arrangements 
for  letting  you  look  in  upon  us  at  certain  hours  in 
each  week.  Outside  of  those  hours  we  do  not  wish 
to  be  disturbed." 

So  far  as  possible  all  reporters  were  excluded  from 
any  permanent  residence  in  the  town,  but  the  ~New 
York  Herald  was  not  to  be  checkmated  in  this  way. 
The  red-headed  man  was  soon  the  occupant  of  one 
of  the  farm-houses  which  the  owner  had  reserved 
from  sale  in  the  beginning  and  still  legally  held. 
He  made  it  his  exclusive  business  to  pry  round  and 
find  out  all  he  could,  which  was,  however,  very  little. 
His  despatches,  nevertheless,  were  not  wanting  either 
in  length  or  sensation.  The  theory  on  which  they 
were  constructed  was  that  the  readers  would,  under 

67 


His  Wisdom   the  Defender 

any  circumstances,  forget  all  about  them,  the  next 
day,  so  that,  even  if  their  falsity  were  then  shown 
up,  no  harm  would  be  done  to  the  reputation  of  the 
journal. 

The  keels  of  what  looked  like  four  ships  were  in 
due  time  laid  along  the  river-bank.  This  tended 
rather  to  satiate  than  to  excite  curiosity.  The  theory 
was  current  that  Campbell  was  going  into  ship-build- 
ing, it  being  presumed,  of  course,  that  the  new  mo- 
tive power  which  he  commanded  would  be  used  to 
propel  the  ships.  As  the  supposed  ships  progress- 
ed they  became  of  an  unusual  shape,  which  had  been 
tried  about  a  century  before,  but  had  failed.  It  was 
that  of  a  large  but  short  cigar.  The  total  length 
varied  from  300  to  360  feet,  and  the  breadth  from 
50  to  60  feet.  The  sections  being  circular,  the  height 
was  as  great  as  the  breadth.  The  theory  gained  cur- 
rency that  they  were  to  move  along  the  sea  by  rolling. 

As  fast  as  the  centipedes  were  built,  they  were 
brought  to  the  river-bank  ready  for  launching.  Here 
was  something  new  to  interest  the  curious.  The 
shops  in  which  the  machines  were  put  together  were 
two  or  three  hundred  yards  from  the  river,  but  after 
the  machines  were  finished  they  were  found  on  the 
river-bank. 

How  did  they  get  there  ?  They  looked  as  if  they 
must  weigh  a  hundred  tons,  and  yet  there  was  no 
possible  means  of  transportation.  It  was  at  length 
discovered  that  they  were  moved  during  the  night, 
but  how  it  was  done  no  one  could  find  out. 

68 


The  First  Motes 

The  centipedes,  as  they  were  thus  exposed,  were 
without  their  feet.  The  latter,  with  all  the  ma- 
chinery that  worked  them,  were  carefully  stored 
inside  the  body. 

When  upwards  of  a  hundred  centipedes  were 
built,  an  equal  number  of  vessels  of  another  kind 
were  constructed,  differing  from  the  first  in  having 
no  openings  for  legs.  They  were  much  like  the 
boats  of  that  time,  with  only  a  single  deck,  surround- 
ed by  a  bulwark  or  a  high  railing.  There  was  more 
room  in  the  interior  of  these  vehicles  than  in  that 
of  the  centipedes.  This  was  utilized  to  store  articles 
of  the  most  varied  character :  condensed  food,  bever- 
ages of  various  sorts,  medicines,  portable  forges, 
implements  and  tools  of  all  kinds,  canvas,  poles, 
tents — in  fine,  about  every  article  that  could  be  need- 
ed for  an  expedition  to  some  uninhabited  country. 
And  yet,  there  lay  the  "  boats  "  on  the  river-bank, 
still  unlaunched,  with  no  apparent  means  of  getting 
them  into  the  water. 

As  the  rolling  machinery  was  improved,  the  manu- 
facture of  a  somewhat  different  mote  was  commenced. 
This  was  also  cigar-shaped,  differing  from  the  motes 
just  described  only  in  being  much  smaller.  The  lengths 
varied  from  30  to  100  feet,  and  the  breadth  from 
6  to  20  feet.  These  vehicles  had  windows  in  the 
side,  and  the  employees  of  the  establishment  could 
hardly  suppress  their  merriment  when  they  were 
ordered  to  design,  make,  and  supply  the  mote 
with  seats  like  those  of  the  railway  cars  then  in 

69 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

vogue.  "  What  can  the  boss  mean  ?"  said  every- 
body. 

Four  of  these  motes  excited  especial  attention  from 
the  strength  and  care  with  which  they  were  built. 
They  were  all  alike  in  size,  about  80  feet  in 
length  and  20  in  breadth.  They  were  built  in  cy- 
lindrical sections,  each  about  10  feet  long,  the  cylin- 
ders having  an  arm  on  the  edge  so  that  they  could  be 
fastened  end  to  end  like  the  different  lengths  of  a 
pipe  for  conveying  water.  They  were  screwed  together 
in  the  usual  way,  and  then,  to  give  additional 
strength,  were  so  clamped  by  "  IPs  "  that  the  junc- 
tion was  as  strong  as  the  cylinders  themselves.  Each 
end  of  the  mote  terminated  in  a  hemisphere.  One 
of  these  ends  was  completely  closed  and  the  other 
supplied  with  an  opening  barely  sufficient  to  allow  a 
man  to  enter  in  a  stooping  posture.  Along  the  sides 
openings,  about  six  inches  in  diameter,  were  pierced 
at  distances  of  four  feet.  These  were  filled  with 
disks  of  glass,  cemented  so  as  to  be  quite  air- 
tight. 

Before  the  ends  of  the  mote  were  fastened  on, 
the  interior  was  supplied  with  a  number  of  longitu- 
dinal tubes  extending  along  the  walls.  The  three 
upper  tubes  could  be  filled  with  air  or  oxygen  from 
the  outside,  by  means  of  stop-cocks  extending 
through  the  wall  of  the  mote.  The  lower  half  of 
each  of  these  was  lined  with  porcelain.  Holes  closed 
by  tight-fitting  covers  were  pierced  here  and  there 
along  the  upper  part.  A  floor  was  laid  along  the 

70 


The  First  Motes 

whole  length,  and  seats  to  accommodate  forty  people 
were  firmly  screwed  down. 

Each  vehicle  was  tested  by  pumping  air  into  it, 
until  a  pressure  of  two  atmospheres  above  that  of 
the  air  outside  was  reached.  While  subjected  to  this 
pressure,  every  possible  exit  for  the  air  was  care- 
fully searched  out  and  closed  up. 

Among  the  numerous  committees  of  scientific  men 
which  Campbell  had,  from  time  to  time,  engaged  to 
examine  special  points  in  connection  with  this  work, 
was  one  to  experiment  on  the  time  during  which 
human  beings  could  live  inside  this  air-tight  en- 
closure. He  intrusted  the  work  of  this  committee 
to  his  former  colleague,  Professor  Banks,  of  Har- 
vard. The  latter  was  charged  to  employ  all  the  re- 
sources of  chemistry  and  physiology  to  investigate 
the  products  of  respiration  in  the  air  of  a  confined 
space,  and  learn  how  they  could  be  made  harmless. 

From  what  I  have  already  said  of  the  locality, 
it  will  be  recalled  that  the  position  of  the  vessels, 
when  launched  from  the  point  where  they  stood, 
would  not  be  in  the  open  river,  but  in  the  narrow 
channel  between  the  mainland  and  Peter's  Island. 
This  channel,  while  only  200  yards  wide  at  the  up- 
per end  where  the  bridge  was  built,  widened  down 
to  500  yards  near  the  lower  end  of  the  island. 

The  red-headed  man  was  very  anxious  to  witness 
the  launching  of  the  vessels  whenever  it  should  take 
place.  He  made  a  daily  visit  to  the  factory,  and 
was  allowed  by  the  watchmen  to  look  into  the  sacred 

71 


His  Wisdom   the  Defender 

enclosure.  The  absence  of  all  machinery  and  all 
preparation  for  launching,  and  the  activity  in  other 
directions,  completely  threw  him  off  his  guard. 
Great,  therefore,  was  his  chagrin  to  arrive  one  morn- 
ing and  see  the  centipedes  and  flat  boats,  some  two 
hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  all  floating  in  the  chan- 
nel. How  they  got  there  was  quite  beyond  his  com- 
prehension. He  vainly  interviewed  the  workmen 
and  all  the  employees  of  his  acquaintance.  Finally 
he  had  to  give  up  the  attempt  to  solve  the  mystery. 
This  was  all  the  easier  that  a  yet  greater  one  seemed 
to  be  in  sight.  The  queer  boats  must  be  intended 
to  sail,  and  the  first  effort  in  this  direction  was  eager- 
ly awaited  by  the  reporters.  The  fact  that  the  ves- 
sels had  no  visible  means  of  propulsion  heightened 
their  curiosity.  But  they  had  seen  wonders  enough, 
among  which  the  launching  was  not  the  least,  to 
make  them  feel  that  this  might  be  no  obstacle  to  their 
departure  at  any  moment.  So  a  constant  watch  was 
kept  up  by  day  and  night. 

Two  days  after  the  launching  there  was  another 
development.  It  was  found  that  hundreds  of  the 
employees  and  workmen  slept  in  the  boats  every 
night.  The  red-headed  man  bought  a  row-boat, 
and  every  evening  went  in  it  as  far  as  the  bridge  to 
watch  what  might  be  going  on  after  dark.  There 
was  sometimes  a  great  waving  of  signal  lights,  but 
nothing  more.  The  boats  were  evidently  the  sleep- 
ing-rooms for  more  than  a  thousand  men;  but  what 
else? 

73 


The   First   Motes 

One  moonless  evening  was  so  cloudy  that  it  was 
impossible  to  see  what  was  going  on.  All  was  dark ; 
not  even  a  signal  light  was  in  motion.  Whether 
the  boats  could  sail  at  night  under  any  circumstances 
was  doubtful;  that  they  should  start  such  a  night 
as  this  was  clearly  impossible.  So  he  rowed  back 
and  went  to  bed  instead  of  watching. 

Next  morning  he  was  awakened  by  an  unusual 
hubbub.  His  office-boy  ran  in  to  tell  him  that  the 
boats  had  all  disappeared.  He  could  not  believe  it 
till  he  went  out  into  the  rain  to  see  for  himself.  The 
report  was  true!  Not  a  boat  was  in  sight! 


VI 

Mystery  on   Mystery 

NOTWITHSTANDING  the  foresight  which 
Campbell  had  exercised  at  every  step  of  his 
enterprise,  he  was  quite  unprepared  for  the 
outburst  of  public  objurgation  that  followed  the  dis- 
appearance of  the  motes.  Pent-up  dissatisfaction 
with  the  secrecy  in  which  he  enveloped  his  proceed- 
ings had  been  constantly  increasing.  That  he  had 
the  right  to  keep  his  secret  was  admitted;  but  men 
do  not  always  like  to  see  a  right  exercised.  Cap- 
italists, investors,  and  brokers  everywhere  were  dis- 
satisfied that  there  was  "  nothing  in  it  for  them." 
Patent  attorneys  and  the  Patent  Office  were  almost 
scandalized  to  see  the  greatest  inventions  ever  made 
brought  into  use  without  their  protection.  Manu- 
facturers in  general,  and  especially  the  great  trusts 
of  the  country,  were  concerned  for  their  future. 
The  newspapers  were  dissatisfied  because  he  would 
not  tell  them  all  about  what  he  was  doing.  From 
these  classes  the  leaven  of  dissatisfaction  spread  to 
all  the  people.  It  needed  only  an  occasion  to  burst 
its  bonds,  and  now  that  occasion  was  offered. 

74 


Mystery   on   Mystery 

During  the  day  following  the  disappearance  of 
the  fleet,  the  reporters  around  Campbelltown  felt 
that  a  march  had  been  stolen  upon  them,  and  they 
were  determined  to  "  even  things  up  "  or  know  the 
reason  why.  Under  the  leadership  of  the  red-head- 
ed man  they  crowded  to  the  gate,  determined  to  see 
the  manager,  the  secretary,  or  even  the  president 
himself,  who  was  usually  inaccessible.  Their 
clamor  was  such  that  the  manager  had  to  admit 
them  in  a  body,  but  he  really  could  not  tell  them  any- 
thing as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  fleet.  All  he 
knew  was  that  preparations  had  been  going  on  for 
several  days  to  give  the  boats  a  trial  trip;  but 
whither  they  were  to  go  he  did  not  know. 

"  Then  we  must  see  the  president  of  the  com- 
pany." 

"  I  doubt  if  he  knows  any  better  than  I  do." 

"  He  ought  to  know,  and  he  must  know,  and  we 
are  determined  to  see  him.  Our  papers  are  all 
calling  upon  us  for  news,  and  it  must  be  had." 

Word  of  their  demands  was  sent  into  the  office  of 
the  president.  He  directed  their  admission.  He 
seemed  very  cool  and  collected. 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  you  seem  to  be  out  in  force 
this  morning.  What  can  I  do  for  you  ?  I  am  sure 
the  newspapers  ought  to  be  my  good  friends  after 
all  the  news  I  am  making  for  them." 

The  president's  unconcern  was  like  the  trickling 
of  ice-water  on  a  much-excited  man.  It  took  a  mo- 
ment for  the  red-headed  man  to  collect  his  thoughts. 

75 


His  Wisdom   the  Defender 

When  at  length  he  could  command  his  speech,  he  felt 
that,  after  all,  there  was  very  little  to  inquire  about. 

"  We  have  noticed  two  or  three  hundred  boats 
moored  in  the  channel  for  several  weeks  past." 

"  Yes,  I  noticed  them  there  myself." 

"  This  morning  they  are  gone." 

"  Quite  right ;  when  I  looked  out  of  my  window 
this  morning  I  could  see  nothing  of  them." 

He  looked  for  all  the  world  as  if  he  wanted  the 
reporters  to  tell  him  where  they  were. 

"  We  wish  to  know  where  they  have  gone — where 
they  are  now." 

"  That's  more  than  I  know  myself.  They  were 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Gheen,  and  he  is  the 
only  one  who  can  give  the  information.  Are  you 
sure  they  are  not  somewhere  behind  the  island  ?" 

"  But  if  Captain  Gheen  is  with  the  boats,  we  can- 
not find  him  until  we  find  them." 

"  That  may  be  quite  true,  but  it  only  makes  clear 
the  difficulty.  Captain  Gheen  has,  for  several  days, 
had  directions  to  take  the  boats  out  on  a  trial  trip 
as  soon  as  he  was  ready.  If  he  found  anything 
wrong,  he  was  to  come  right  back.  If  he  did  not, 
he  could  go  as  far  as  he  pleased,  even  to  the  north 
pole  if  the  ice  was  not  in  the  way.  Have  you  seen 
nothing  of  him  or  his  boats  ?" 

"  No,  or  we  would  not  have  been  here.  We  wish 
to  know  where  you  think  they  are.  What  did  you 
expect  Captain  Gheen  to  do,  and  where  did  you  ex- 
pect him  to  go?" 

76 


Mystery   on    Mystery 

"  My  thoughts  on  the  subject  are  worth  no  more 
than  yours.  I  have  told  you  where  I  authorized  him 
to  go.  Until  I  hear  from  him  I  can  give  you  no 
further  information." 

"  How  long  before  you  expect  to  hear  from  him  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know ;  it  may  be  this  very  minute,  and 
it  may  not  be  for  several  months." 

"  What  route  did  you  expect  him  to  take  ?" 

"  The  most  direct  route  he  could." 

"  Suppose  he  should  sail  to  the  pole,  how  long 
would  it  take  him  to  get  there  ?" 

"  That  depends  upon  how  fast  the  boats  are  run. 
As  this  is  their  first  serious  trial,  I  cannot  tell  you 
their  speed,  but  I  expect  them  to  go  very  fast." 

"  Can  you  not  tell  us  how  fast  ?" 

"  If  I  could  tell  you  how  fast,  you  would  not  be- 
lieve it.  At  full  speed  they  would  be  out  of  sight  and 
hearing  long  before  daylight." 

"  You  speak  as  if  you  expected  them  to  go  as  fast 
as  a  railway  train." 

"I  would  certainly  be  very  much  disappointed 
if  they  went  anything  like  as  slowly  as  a  train." 

There  was  a  look  of  astonishment  and  a  great 
scratching  of  pencils. 

"  How  many  people  were  in  the  boats  ?" 

"  There  were  a  great  many,  but  for  the  moment 
I  cannot  give  you  exact  figures ;  neither  do  I  intend 
to  do  so.  You  may  have  more  complete  information  on 
the  subject  at  some  future  time.  You  must  excuse 
my  saying  anything  further  at  present." 

77 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

Although  their  curiosity  was  whetted  by  the  presi- 
dent's expectations  of  the  speed  of  the  boats,  they 
departed  with  the  feeling  that  they  had  been  un- 
necessarily excited  by  a  very  slight  occurrence. 

But  the  editors  saw  things  in  a  different  light. 
Thousands  of  men,  many  of  them  youths  of  respect- 
ability, had  suddenly  disappeared,  no  one  knew  how 
or  where.  They  determined  to  get  information  on 
the  subject  and  to  make  all  the  noise  about  it  they 
could.  Here  was  a  chance  to  have  their  revenge, 
and  it  should  not  be  allowed  to  pass.  The  reporters 
were  all  ordered  to  remain  in  Campbelltown  that 
night,  if  they  had  to  bivouac  on  the  ground,  and  to 
ascertain,  the  names  of  all  the  people  who  had  gone 
on  the  mysterious  expedition. 

This  work  was  vigorously  begun  by  the  reporters 
next  morning,  making  a  house-to-house  canvass,  and 
finding  out  what  occupants  had  been  unaccounted  for 
during  the  last  twenty-four  hours,  and  where  they 
were  last  seen ;  and  farmers  along  the  shore  were  in- 
terviewed to  know  if  they  had  seen  the  boats  go  down 
the  river — but  all  to  no  purpose.  The  keeper  of  the 
lighthouse,  about  three  miles  below  Campbelltown, 
reported  that  he  had  seen  them  pass  about  ten 
o'clock.  This  was  the  last  that  could  be  learned  of 
tEem.  Neither  of  the  lighthouse-keepers  at  Capes 
Henry  or  Charles  had  seen  anything  of  them.  Every 
steamer  and  vessel  which  was  known  to  be  on  the 
Chesapeake  that  night  or  the  following  day  was  asked 
for  information.  Telegrams  were  sent  to  all  points 

78 


Mystery  on   Mystery 

on  the  coast.  The  Herald  even  fitted  out  a  steam- 
yacht  to  meet  schooners  and  ascertain  if  anything 
had  been  seen.  Not  a  scrap  of  information  could 
be  gained  concerning  the  fleet  after  it  had  passed  the 
lighthouse. 

The  evening  papers,  in  describing  the  results  of 
the  search,  called  upon  the  public  for  information 
as  to  friends  and  relatives  employed  at  Campbell- 
town.  The  result  of  all  these  inquiries  was  made 
known  in  time  for  publication  in  the  next  morning's 
papers.  Between  two  and  three  thousand  people  had 
disappeared  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  In  all 
probability  the  whole  fleet  of  boats,  chained  together 
as  they  were,  had  sunk,  either  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Potomac  or  in  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  not  a  soul  had 
been  saved. 

Telegrams  poured  in  upon  the  president  by  the 
hundred.  Every  newspaper  in  the  country  called 
for  further  information,  and  some  parent  or  near 
relative  of  almost  every  missing  man  begged  for  in- 
formation as  to  his  fate.  The  clamor  made  a  pub- 
lic reply  absolutely  necessary,  and  the  following 
authoritative  statement  was  telegraphed  everywhere: 

"  There  is  no  reason  for  solicitude  as  to  the  safe- 
ty of  the  party  which  left  Campbelltown  on  Tuesday 
night.  Every  possible  precaution  has  been  taken 
to  insure  the  safety  of  its  members.  Captain  Gheen 
was  ordered  to  report  immediately  in  the  event  of 
any  accident,  or  any  failure  of  the  machinery  to 

79 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

operate  succssfully.  The  boats  are  practically 
unsinkable ;  even  in  the  heaviest  storm  the  only  way 
in  which  one  could  be  sunk  would  be  by  suddenly 
shipping  a  sea.  If  this  accident  did  happen  to  one, 
she  would  be  kept  up  by  the  others.  But  the  acci- 
dent itself  seems  practically  impossible.  If  the  ex- 
pedition was  successfully  started,  there  was  no  ex- 
pectation of  hearing  from  it  for  several  weeks.  Its 
exact  destination  was  left  to  the  judgment  of  Cap- 
tain Gheen ;  he  was,  however,  to  proceed  as  far  north 
as  he  conveniently  could.  There  is  no  probabilty  that 
he  would  be  seen  by  other  vessels;  hence  no  anxiety 
need  be  felt  because  he  has  not  been  heard  from. 

"  A.  CAMPBELL/' 

This  statement  seemed  to  relieve  the  fears  of  those 
who  had  friends  on  the  expedition;  but  it  did  not 
relieve  the  newspapers  in  the  slightest.  When  the 
Herald  yacht  failed  to  get  news  from  passing  ves- 
sels, people  would  not  believe  that  the  expedition 
had  ever  got  outside  the  capes.  So  tugs  were  sent 
to  dredge  the  river  and  the  Chesapeake  in  all  di- 
rections below  where  the  boats  had  last  been  seen. 
The  absurdity  of  supposing  that  two  hundred  and 
fifty  good-sized  vessels,  with  fifteen  hundred  men 
on  board,  could  be  sunk  in  so  shallow  a  sea  and  not 
a  trace  be  visible  was  pointed  out  by  Campbell  him- 
self. But  the  newspapers  only  denounced  him  the 
louder.  The  whole  country  resounded  with  the  out- 
cry. Had  Congress  been  in  session  it  would  have 

80 


Mystery   on   Mystery 

been  called  upon  to  institute  a  rigid  investigation. 
It  happened  that  the  Maryland  Legislature  was  in 
session,  and  the  pressure  upon  it  for  action  was  such 
that  a  committee  of  inquiry  was  formally  ordered  in 
accordance  with  the  following  resolution: 

"  WHEBEAS,  no  less  than  two  hundred  and  fifty 
floating  vehicles,  having  on  board  more  than  two 
thousand  men,  many  of  them  citizens  of  Maryland, 
have  suddenly  disappeared  from  Peter's  Channel 
in  the  Potomac  River ;  and 

"  WHEREAS,  the  fate  of  the  said  men  is  involved 
in  mystery;  therefore  be  it 

"Resolved,  that  a  committee  of  nine  members, 
of  whom  six  shall '  be  representatives  and  three 
senators,  shall  be  appointed  by  the  presiding 
officers  of  the  two  Houses,  with  power  to  send  for 
persons  and  papers,  and  to  investigate  whither  the 
said  boats  have  gone  and  what  has  become  of  the  men 
in  them." 

This  resolution  was  adopted  with  practical  una- 
nimity in  both  Houses. 

Without  losing  a  day,  the  chairman  and  two  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  went  to  Campbelltown,  ac- 
companied by  a  clerk,  to  make  arrangements  for 
beginning  the  investigation.  They  were  admitted, 
shown  into  the  office  of  the  president,  and  received 
by  the  secretary. 

"We  represent,  as  you  are  probably  aware,  a 
F  81 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

committee  of  the  Legislature  of  Maryland,  ordered 
to  investigate  the  disappearance  of  a  fleet  of  boats 
from  this  place.  We  should  like,  first  of  all,  to  con- 
fer with  President  Campbell." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  the  president  is  not  at 
home.  He  left  town  on  Thursday  evening,  and  is 
not  expected  back  until  Tuesday  next." 

"  Where  has  he  gone  ?" 

"  That  I  do  not  know.  So  far  as  I  am  aware,  he 
said  nothing  to  any-  one  about/  his  intended  move- 
ments." 

The  chairman  looked  surprised. 

"  We  have  seen  no  notice  of  his  departure.  Does 
he  often  go  away  for  five  days  without  leaving  any 
word  as  to  how  you  are  to  reach  him  in  case  of  an 
emergency  ?" 

"  He  never  did  it  before ;  I  do  not  know  why  he 
has  done  it  now.  You  know  he  does  not  encourage 
any  inquiry  into  his  affairs  on  the  part  of  anybody 
here." 

"  What  train  did  he  take  ?" 

"  I  have  no  idea.  He  simply  left  his  office  a  lit- 
tle after  the  usual  hour  and  went  towards  the  Coli- 
seum. That  was  the  last  I  saw  of  him." 

"I  never  heard  of  such  a  man  leaving  without 
his  movements  getting  into  the  papers,  and  without 
any  one  knowing  anything  about  it.  It  seems  as 
if  our  first  task  will  be  to  investigate  his  disappear- 
ance. However,  this  is  Saturday,  and  we  can  wait 
until  Monday.  Monday  morning  you  may  expect 

82 


Mystery    on    Mystery 

the  entire  committee  to  begin  its  investigation.  We 
desire  to  conduct  it  here  because  we  can  so  easily 
examine  the  officers  and  employees  of  the  company. 
Can  you  place  a  room  at  our  disposal  at  nine  in  the 
morning  ?" 

"  I  would  not  like  to  promise  you  a  room  within 
the  enclosure,  but  you  can  doubtless  find  one  out- 
side with  great  ease.  The  newspaper  men  have  a 
building  to  themselves,  as  you  probably  know;  per- 
haps you  could  get  a  room  there  in  which  to  go  to 
work." 

The  new  disappearance  was,  of  course,  telegraphed 
to  every  city  and  every  newspaper  office  in  the 
United  States.  In  this  way,  by  Saturday  evening, 
every  person  in  the  country  was  inquiring  after  the 
President  of  the  Anita  Company,  with  the  hope  that 
whoever  might  know  anything  of  his  whereabouts 
would  speak.  But  not  a  word  was  heard  «about  him. 

When  the  committee  reconvened  at  Campbelltown 
on  Monday  morning,  the  mystery  was  as  great  as 
ever.  Before  noon  the  work  of  the  committee  had 
made  it  yet  darker.  All  the  watchmen  of  the  place 
had  been  examined  to  find  out  at  what  hour  and  in 
what  direction  the  missing  man  had  left.  The  last 
person  who  had  seen  him  was  the  gate-keeper  at  the 
Coliseum.  At  his  usual  hour,  about  sunset,  he  had 
left  his  office  and  entered  the  mysterious  place.  No 
one  had  seen  him  since.  Five  men  were  in  the  en- 
closure at  the  time.  Neither  of  them  had  again  been 
seen. 

83 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

Evidently  he  must  be  hiding  in  the  Coliseum. 
The  committee  determined  to  visit  the  place  and 
conduct  their  investigations  there,  if  they  could 
secure  admittance.  The  manager  acceded  to  this 
course,  and  escorted  the  committee  across  the  bridge 
and  into  the  place.  They  noticed  with  surprise  a 
number  of  low  but  rather  large  buildings  inside, 
with  machinery  of  all  sorts  here  and  there.  Of  course 
they  were  amazed  at  the  sight  of  the  suspended  dad- 
dies, but  no  one  could  tell  what  they  were  for.  A 
few  workmen  were  found  in  several  of  the  shops,  but 
nothing  of  the  missing  men.  After  two  hours'  search 
and  examination  they  left  as  wise  as  they  came. 

Determined  not  to  leave  until  the  mystery  was 
solved,  they  passed  the  night  at  what  was  known  as 
"  Newspaper  House."  Next  morning  the  commit- 
tee was  convened  at  the  usual  hour.  The  secretary 
was  the  first  witness  to  be  examined : 

"  I  believe  you  said  the  president  was  to  be  back 
to-day?" 

"  Yes ;  he  is  now  in  his  office." 

"  How  did  he  get  there  ?  We  heard  nothing  of 
his  return." 

"  I  know  nothing  about  it,  sir.  All  I  know  is  he 
came  in  as  usual  this  morning.  He  said  he  came 
from  the  Coliseum." 

"  It  looks  as  if  he  had  been  hiding  there  all  this 
time.  Did  you  ever  know  him  to  do  such  a  thing 
before?" 

"  I  cannot  say  that  I  did." 
84 


Mystery   on    Mystery 

"  We  must  subpoena  him  immediately." 

While  the  subpoena  was  being  made  out  the  crowd 
of  reporters  was  more  clamorous  than  ever. 

"  They  are  determined  to  know  where  you  have 
been  and  what  you  have  been  doing,"  said  the  secre- 
tary. "  Unless  we  tell  them  something,  I  do  not 
know  what  is  to  happen." 

"  Very  well.  Tell  them  a  rest  of  a  few  days  from 
time  to  time  is  necessary  to  keep  me  from  being  worn 
out.  So  I  have  been  vegetating  as  far  from  my 
usual  surroundings  as  I  can  well  get." 

"  That  will  only  excite  their  curiosity  the  more 
to  know  where  you  were." 

"  Very  well.  Tell  them  I  entered  the  Coliseum 
Thursday  night  and  came  out  again  Tuesday  morn- 
ing, and  that  is  all  I  will  tell  them." 

When  he  appeared  in  response  to  the  summons 
he  was  so  cool  and  unconcerned  that  the  chairman 
hardly  knew  how  to  begin  his  questions.  Had  he 
followed  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  he  would  have 
asked  him  where  he  had  been  during  the  last  five 
days.  But  a  little  reflection  showed  him  that  this 
would  be  an  impertinence.  So  he  briefly  but  for- 
mally set  forth  the  object  of  the  committee. 

"  We  were  ready  to  commence  our  investigations 
Saturday,  but  owing  to  your  absence  we  were  obliged 
to  postpone  it  until  yesterday." 

He  looked  for  an  answer,  but  none  came. 

"  The  committee  will  now  be  glad  to  hear  any 
statement  you  have  to  make  on  the  subject  before  it." 

85 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

"  I  do  not  see  that  I  can  add  anything  to  what 
I  have  already  publicly  said  to  correspondents  and 
others.  Indeed,  the  case  is  so  simple  that  I  fail  to 
understand  what  the  committee  can  expect  of  me.  I 
authorized  Captain  Gheen,  in  charge  of  the  fleet, 
to  make  a  trial  trip  whenever  he  was  ready.  From 
his  absence  I  suppose  that  he  has  gone  on  that  trip. 
Until  he  returns  I  cannot  give  you  more  definite  in- 
formation." 

"  Why  did  the  fleet  leave  in  the  night  ?" 

Counsel  whom  the  witness  brought  with  him  ob- 
jected to  this  question  as  irrelevant.  The  commit- 
tee was  only  empowered  to  inquire  where  the  boats 
had  gone  and  what  had  become  of  the  men  in  them. 
No  authority  was  given  to  inquire  into  reasons. 
The  correctness  of  this  contention  had  to  be  admit- 
ted, but  it  made  the  questioning  rather  tame.  After 
some  consideration  the  chairman  continued: 

"  These  boats  were  not  propelled  by  steam-power, 
we  believe  ?" 

"  No,  sir,  they  were  not." 

"  By  what  power  were  they  propelled  ?" 

Counsel  objected.  The  committee  was  not  au- 
thorized by  the  resolution  to  inquire  into  the  meth- 
ods of  propulsion. 

This  was  undeniable,  and  the  question  was  with- 
drawn. 

"  The  only  objection  I  have  to  the  question,"  said 
Campbell,  "  is  that  it  is  impossible  to  answer  it  in 
an  intelligible  way.  I  am  free  to  say  that  the  boats 

86 


Mystery   on   Mystery 

are  not  propelled  by  steam-power,  but  by  etherine 
through  the  action  of  therm." 

"  Etherine  ?  What  is  etherine,  and  what  is 
therm?" 

"  These  are  terms  which  I  have  applied  to  certain 
new  agencies  discovered  by  me.  I  mean  by  etherine 
a  new  form  of  matter  having  relations  to  the  lumi- 
niferous  ether,  not  possessed  by  any  other  matter 
formerly  known  to  men.  Therm  is  an  agent  some- 
what akin  to  electricity,  also  discovered  by  me,  and 
still  unknown  to  the  scientific  world.  By  these  two 
agencies  I  can  exercise  force  and  produce  motion 
in  ways  never  before  known." 

"  The  committee  admits  that  it  has  no  right,  un- 
der the  powers  given  by  the  resolution,  to  inquire 
into  the  conduct  of  your  business.  Permit  us  to 
say,  however,  that  both  the  committee  and  the  coun- 
try would  be  much  gratified  if  you  would  explain 
the  reason  for  the  secrecy  in  which  you  have  en- 
veloped all  your  operations,  including  so  important 
a  one  as  sending  several  thousand  men  out  on  a 
perilous  expedition." 

Counsel:  "  My  client,  of  course,  understands  that 
this  question  is  quite  outside  the  limits  of  the  inves- 
tigation. If  he  chooses  to  answer  it  I  am  not  re- 
sponsible." 

Campbell:  "I  can  only  answer  in  a  general  way 
by  saying  that  when  my  reasons  are  once  fully  un- 
derstood I  expect  them  to  meet  with  universal  ap- 
proval. I  have  no  interests  in  view  but  those  of  the 

87 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

'world  at  large.  These  can  best  be  secured  by  the 
policy  I  have  adopted.  When  the  proper  time 
comes  I  shall  have  no  further  secrets,  but  shall  glad- 
ly make  everything  known." 

"  When  will  that  proper  time  be  ?" 

"  It  will  be  as  soon  as  I  can  guard  against  any 
misuse  of  the  power  I  wield.  Just  when  that  may 
be  I  cannot  say,  but  I  hope  we  shall  all  live  to  see  the 
day." 

"  We  understand,  then,  that  in  sending  Captain 
Gheen  out  on  this  expedition  you  gave  him  no  pre- 
cise instructions  as  to  his  destination  ?" 

"  I  did  not  absolutely  fix  any  destination  for  him. 
He  was  authorized  to  go  to  the  north  pole  if  he 
could." 

"  What  was  the  object  of  the  expedition  ?" 

Counsel:  "  Again  I  must  make  the  point  that  the 
committee  is  not  empowered  to  inquire  into  objects, 
but  only  into  facts." 

The  question  was  changed. 

"  What  provision  had  the  party  for  their  comfort- 
able subsistence  during  their  absence  ?" 

"  They  were  provisioned  for  three  months ;  it  is 
the  utmost  limit  of  absence  I  expect.  If  they  are 
not  here  before  the  expiration  of  that  time,  I  shall 
have  everything  ready  to  send  another  expedition 
to  search  for  them." 

"  But  if  their  whereabouts  is  unknown,  how  can 
a  search  be  effected  ?" 

"  All  coasts  and  bays  where  the  expedition  is  like- 
:*  88 


Mystery   on   Mystery 

ly  to  have  landed  can  be  inspected  and  examined  in 
a  very  short  time." 

"  If  you  yourself  had  a  son  on  this  expedition, 
would  you  not  feel  a  deep  solicitude  for  his  safety  ?" 

"  I  should  feel  no  other  solicitude  than  that  aris- 
ing from  his  having  gone  out  on  an  expedition  of  a 
very  extraordinary  kind,  possibly  involving  un- 
known perils.  So  far  as  any  foreseeable  accident 
is  concerned,  I  should  feel  no  great  fear.  Of  course, 
we  are  all  liable  to  accident  and  death  at  any  mo- 
ment; but  I  do  not  think  the  liability  materially 
greater  than  it  would  have  been  had  they  stayed 
at  home." 

This  terminated  Campbell's  examination.  He 
felt  greatly  relieved  by  the  contrast  between  the 
courtesy  and  consideration  with  which  it  was  con- 
ducted and  the  noise  which  the  newspapers  were 
making. 

The  committee  left  no  stone  unturned  to  gain  the 
information  expected  of  it.  Lighthouse  -  keepers, 
residents  along  the  coast,  captains  of  vessels,  em- 
ployees of  the  Anita  Company,  and  reporters  were 
all  sent  for  and  examined  at  length.  It  was  ascer- 
tained without  doubt  that  the  boats  were  floating 
in  Peter's  Channel  on  the  evening  of  Tuesday,  the 
llth;  that  several  thousand  men  had  been  sleeping 
on  board  them  for  several  nights  previous;  that  on 
Tuesday  night,  about  nine  P.M.,  they  had  cast  off 
the  ropes  which  bound  them  to  the  shore  and  moved 
down  the  river;  that  they  had  been  seen  to  pass  the 

89 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

lighthouse.  From  the  time  occupied  in  going  down 
the  river  and  the  rate  of  speed  in  passing  the  light- 
house, it  had  been  inferred  that  they  travelled  as 
fast  as  an  ocean  steamer.  Nothing  had  happened 
to  the  boats  within  Chesapeake  Bay,  else  the  bodies 
of  the  men  or  the  wrecks  of  the  boats  would  have 
been  discovered.  It  was  understood  that,  under 
their  orders,  they  had  gone  to  sea  and  proceeded  to 
the  northeast.  Nothing  more  could  be  learned. 

A  report  to  this  effect  was  made  on  the  22d.  Next 
day  the  following  despatch  from  St.  Johns,  New- 
foundland, appeared  in  all  the  newspapers : 

"  At  five  o'clock  this  evening  a  small  boat  was 
seen  oceanward  approaching  this  port  at  an  extraor- 
dinary rate  of  speed.  It  entered  the  harbor  as 
fast  as  a  railroad  train,  dashing  the  water  into  foam 
on  both  sides.  It  landed  a  man  at  the  wharf,  who 
went  to  the  telegraph  office  to  send  a  despatch,  and 
immediately  returned  to  the  boat.  The  man  gave 
the  names  of  himself  and  his  companion  as  William 
H.  Robinson  and  James  R.  Clay,  both  being  mem- 
bers of  the  Anita  Company's  expedition  which  left 
Campbelltown  for  the  north  nearly  two  weeks  ago. 
He  reported  the  expedition  as  having  safely  effected 
a  landing  on  the  coast  of  Baffin's  Bay,  and  that  all 
were  well  on  board.  A  number  of  letters  were 
brought  from  members  of  the  expedition  for  their 
friends,  which  were  duly  posted  and  will  be  sent  by 
the  next  mail.  To  the  great  disappointment  of  the 
inhabitants  the  two  men  resisted  all  entreaties  to  re- 

90 


Mystery   on    Mystery 

main,  sailing  away  as  soon  as  they  had  finished 
their  errand,  and  before  the  reporters  had  time  to 
interview  them. 

"  Great  curiosity  was  excited  by  the  movements  of 
their  boat,  which  seemed  to  float  on  the  water  as 
lightly  as  a  feather.  Rapid  as  were  its  movements, 
no  mode  of  propulsion  was  visible.  When  at  full 
speed  it  seemed  even  lighter  than  when  at  rest,  mere- 
ly skimming  the  water  and  throwing  it  up  into  foam 
as  it  went  along.  It  passed  the  lighthouse  on  its 
way  out  at  six  o'clock,  and  twenty  minutes  later  was 
lost  in  the  distance.  Any  attempt  to  follow  it  would 
have  been  useless." 

This  despatch  served  to  calm  the  public,  but  it 
may  be  feared  that  the  relief  it  afforded  the  news- 
papers was  tinged  with  a  feeling  of  disappointment 
that  nothing  so  sensational  as  the  destruction  of  sev- 
eral thousand  men  could  be  reported.  They  con- 
tinued their  attacks  on  Campbell  with  undiminished 
vigor.  Nothing  less  would  satisfy  them  than  the 
immediate  fitting  out  of  a  fast  steamer  which  should 
be  sent  off  to  search  for  the  party  and  report  its 
movements.  They  knew  well  that  nothing  of  the 
sort  would  be  done  unless  they  did  it  themselves, 
and  they  concluded  not  to  try,  for  the  new  mystery 
of  Campbell's  five  days'  disappearance  gave  them 
ample  material  for  discussion. 


VII 

And   Another   for   the    Duke 

THE  disappearance  at  Campbelltown  was  fol- 
lowed next  evening  by  an  equally  mysterious 
appearance  at  Leghorn,  in  Italy.  About  nine 
o'clock  a  small  steamer  entered  the  harbor  of  that 
town  and  landed  a  slender,  dark-bearded  gentleman. 
Being  recognized  as  belonging  to  the  works  on  Elba, 
the  customs  officers  allowed  the  boat  to  come  in  with- 
out question.  The  passenger  went  rapidly  to  the  rail- 
way station  and  chartered  a  special  train  for  Pisa, 
paying  a  good  price  in  advance.  There  he  passed  the 
night,  took  the  first  train  in  the  morning  for  Flor- 
ence, and  was  driven  to  the  Villa  Bernaletti. 

"  There  seems  to  be  some  comedy  of  errors  about 
your  movements,"  said  the  Duke.  "  I  received  a 
telegram  from  Elba  a  couple  of  days  ago,  telling 
me  that  you  would  be  here  this  morning.  But  yes- 
terday I  read  in  the  Gazzetta  a  long  account  of  the 
sudden  disappearance  of  a  fleet  of  your  boats  from 
the  place  which  bears  your  name,  in  which  you  were 
repeatedly  mentioned  as  present  on  the  spot.  I 
therefore  supposed  that  the  despatch  must  have  been 

92 


And  Another   for   the   Duke 

sent  me  by  error.  Will  you  pardon  my  curiosity 
if  I  ask  how  these  contradictory  statements  are  to 
be  reconciled  ?" 

"  I  am  really  afraid  to  reconcile  them,  else  I 
should  do  so  with  the  greatest  pleasure.  You  see 
me  before  you  ready  to  take  you  and  such  of  your 
family  as  will  accompany  me  on  the  visit  of  inspec- 
tion which  I  proposed  to  you  last  month.  Doubt- 
less that  object  was  duly  mentioned  in  the  despatch. 
We  may  talk  about  news  blunders  some  other  time." 

"  We  had  made  all  the  arrangements  for  accepting 
your  invitation;  but  yesterday's  news  made  us  sup- 
pose that,  as  a  matter  of  course,  you  would  not  be 
here.  Still,  I  do  not  think  we  have  made  any  in- 
compatible engagements.  We  shall  be  ready  after 
lunch." 

"  Your  daughter  will  be  of  the  party,  I  hope. 
I  think  something  new  to  see  will  be  for  her  benefit." 

"  After  much  difficulty  I  got  her  consent  to  ac- 
company us.  But  how  are  we  to  reach  your  moun- 
tain?" 

"  Very  easily.  I  came  in  my  despatch-boat,  which 
is  kept  for  use  between  the  ports  of  Elba,  and  is 
now  waiting  for  us  in  the  harbor  of  Leghorn." 

The  party,  consisting  of  the  black-bearded  man, 
the  Duke,  and  his  son  and  daughter,  took  a  special 
train  immediately  after  lunch,  and,  passing  through 
Pisa,  reached  Leghorn  before  dark  and  embarked 
on  the  boat. 

They  passed  the  night  at  Terra  jo,  and  the  follow- 
93 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

ing  morning  found  them  on  the  way  up  Mount  Cam- 
panne,  or,  as  it  is  now  called,  Uraniberg,  where  the 
two  men  had  driven  eighteen  months  before.  The 
building  of  the  so-called  convent  was  making  rapid 
progress. 

"  The  lady  superior  of  this  convent  will  be  a  Sis- 
ter of  Mercy  to  the  whole  world,"  said  the  conductor 
of  the  party. 

The  early  evening  found  them  back  at  Terr  a  jo, 
where  the  great  factories  were  in  full  operation, 
doing  for  Europe  what  Campbelltown  was  doing 
for  America.  Great  was  the  astonishment  of  the 
ducal  family  when  told  that  their  host  could  not 
even  stop  to  show  them  the  factories,  but  must  leave 
immediately.  The  boat  would  be  at  their  orders  in 
the  morning  to  take  them  wherever  they  wished. 

"  Will  you  excuse  me  if  I  come  and  go  like  a 
ghost?  Be  my  guests  here  as  long  as  you  choose, 
but  excuse  the  necessity  which  I  am  under  of  depart- 
ing this  evening." 

He  took  the  tug  at  dusk  and  disappeared,  while 
his  guests  wondered  what  manner  of  man  this 
was. 

When  the  Duke  arrived  home  with  his  family  the 
evening  following,  he  at  once  asked  for  the  numbers 
of  the  Gazzetta  which  had  arrived  during  his  absence. 
The  first  thing  that  struck  his  eye  was  a  head-line 
announcing  the  mysterious  disappearance  of  the 
president  of  the  Anita  Company.  Whether  he  had 
wandered  away,  or  had  concealed  himself  in  his  own 

94 


And  Another   for   the   Duke 

town  to  evade  the  committee  of  investigation,  no  one 
could  tell.  To  the  outcry  consequent  upon  the  dis- 
appearance of  more  than  two  thousand  men  was  add- 
ed another  about  this  new  mystery.  The  paper  for 
the  next  morning  announced  no  really  new  event. 
It  only  described  the  continuance  of  the  uproar  which 
increased  with  every  hour  of  the  president's  ab- 
sence. Then  followed  a  special  evening  edition 
announcing  the  equally  mysterious  reappearance. 
The  missing  man  had  quietly  walked  out  of  the  Coli- 
seum early  in  the  morning  as  collected  as  though 
nothing  had  happened.  He  refused  to  explain  his 
absence  to  any  one. 

As  we  grow  old  the  light  in  which  recent  events 
are  seen  is  not  quite  so  clear  as  during  the  prime 
of  life.  When  the  Duke  thought  of  the  sudden  way 
in  which,  if  his  memory  served  him  aright,  he  and 
his  family  had  been  whisked  away  from  his  home, 
carried  to  the  top  of  a  mountain,  shown  through  an 
almost  limitless  manufacturing  establishment,  re- 
turned to  his  villa  by  sea  and  land,  and  now  found 
himself  reclining  on  his  comfortable  sofa  as  if  noth- 
ing had  happened,  it  needed  some  assurance  from 
his  family  and  some  examination  of  his  own  memory 
to  be  sure  he  had  not  been  dreaming. 

"  Is  it  really  you  who  stand  before  me  ?"  he  said 
to  his  wife.  "  I  am  not  dreaming  ?" 

"  What  a  question !" 

"  You  and  I  and  all  of  us  have  been  on  a  voyage 
to  Elba,  have  we  not  ?" 

95 


His  Wisdom   the  Defender 

"  Of  course  we  have.  Why  do  you  ask  such  a 
question  ?"  She  looked  alarmed. 

"Who  took  us  to  Elba?" 

"  My  dear  husband,  what  is  the  matter  with  you  ? 
If  you  ask  such  a  question  as  that  I  must  telephone 
immediately  for  our  medical  man." 

"  There  is  not  the  slightest  need  of  that.  I  just 
want  to  hear  you  repeat  the  name  of  our  leader  and 
tell  me  all  about  it." 

"  Why,  you  must  know.  It  was  Professor  Camp- 
bell." 

"  The  president  of  the  Anita  Company  ?" 

"  Of  course.     Who  else  could  it  be  ?" 

"  Now  look  at  the  Gazzetta,  and  you  will  see  why 
I  asked  you.  President  Campbell  was  reported  as 
at  his  post  in  America  only  last  Wednesday  morning, 
and  he  was  there  again  this  morning.  Did  you  not 
notice  something  very  odd  about  him  while  he  was 
travelling  with  us — as  if  he  were  made  up  of  some 
ethereal  substance  which  might  vanish  into  thin  air 
at  any  moment?  It  is  true  that  he  made  no  such 
impression  upon  me  at  the  time;  but  now,  when  I 
recall  his  visit,  I  cannot  help  thinking  of  him  as  a 
sort  of  ghost  that  had  never  existed  until  he  reached 
our  house  that  morning." 

"  I  certainly  formed  no  such  impression." 

"  You  recall  the  sudden  and  mysterious  way  in 
which  he  took  his  departure  ?" 

"  Yes,  very  well ;  it  was  sudden  and  mysterious, 
as  you  say,  but  that  was  all." 

96 


And  Another   for   the   Duke 

"  I  cannot  help  feeling  that  no  human  being  made 
of  ordinary  flesh  and  blood  could  have  departed 
in  such  a  way.  I  cannot  altogether  get  rid  of  the 
idea  that  he  dissolved  into  thin  air  the  moment  he 
was  out  of  our  sight.  How  else  could  he  have  been 
in  America  thirty-six  hours  later  ?" 

"  I  shall  really  be  alarmed  if  you  entertain  such 
a  notion." 

Another  question  presented  itself  to  the  Duke's 
mind.  The  student  whom  he  had  entertained  at  his 
house  long  ago — the  professor  who  had  visited  them 
— the  owner  of  one-half  of  Elba — the  mysterious 
president  of  the  Anita  Company,  and  his  guide  of  the 
past  three  days — were  they  all  one  and  the  same  per- 
son ?  If  the  telegraph  was  to  be  believed,  they  cer- 
tainly could  not  be ;  but  who  was  who  ?  The  defer- 
ence shown  his  guide  at  Ferrajo  during  the  whole 
visit  to  the  works  was  such  that  he  could  not  be  less 
than  lord  and  master.  So  there  was  nothing  to  do 
but  wait  for  light. 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  Potomac.  During  the 
next  weeks  the  building  of  the  queer  boats  went  on 
as  if  nothing  had  happened.  ~No  explanation  of  the 
mystery  was  vouchsafed;  the  president  of  the  Anita 
Company  answered  all  inquiries  as  if  he  saw  noth- 
ing unusual  to  inquire  about;  reporters  searched  in 
vain;  editors  exhausted  themselves  in  declamation 
and  discussion  without  reaching  any  conclusion. 
Reporters  were  now  freely  admitted  nearly  every  day. 
G  97 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

Occasionally,  when  some  public  man  or  well-known 
editor  paid  a  visit  to  the  works,  Campbell  himself 
would  accompany  him  to  show  him  what  was  going 
on  and  explain  the  luxury  of  the  future  traveller  in 
these  new  vessels. 

Entering  a  mote  and  climbing  to  the  upper  deck, 
Campbell  would  show  the  visitor  how  beautifully 
the  light  would  come  through  the  magnificent  arch 
formed  by  the  upper  part  of  the  "  ship,"  and  how  lux- 
urious all  the  arrangements  for  passengers  were  to 
be.  While  this  was  being  set  forth  at  such  length 
the  visitor's  thoughts  were  elsewhere. 

"  But  how  are  'you  going  to  propel  this  vessel 
through  the  water?" 

"  By  etherine." 

Then  the  visitor  would  smile  in  silence.  If 
he  had  not  known  that  the  boats  were  actually  going 
in  a  very  mysterious  way,  he  would  not  have  be- 
lieved. Knowing  what  he  did,  he  wondered  in  si- 
lence, and  left  no  wiser  than  he  came. 

A  month  had  elapsed  since  the  disappearance  of 
the  fleet.  The  press  had  continued  to  pour  vials  of 
wrath  on  the  report  of  the  Maryland  committee  as 
hot  as  those  with  which  they  had  been  visiting  the 
Anita  Company.  During  this  interval  the  letters 
which  had  been  mailed  at  St.  John's  reached  their 
destination.  To  the  great  embarrassment  of  the 
reporters  there  was  no  indication  as  to  the  friends 
to  whom  they  might  be  directed.  To  get  hold  of 
them,  their  only  course  was  to  learn  the  names  of 

98 


And  Another   for   the   Duke 

those  persons  whose  relatives  at  the  works  were  sup- 
posed to  have  gone  on  the  expedition,  and  to  ask  them 
for  the  letters  when  they  arrived.  Several  were  thus 
obtained,  and,  of  course,  immediately  published. 
They  were,  however,  so  tame  as  to  lead  to  a  very 
strong  suspicion  of  having  passed  a  censorship,  a 
suspicion  which  our  readers  will  not  be  slow  in  be- 
lieving well-founded.  There  were  glowing  accounts 
of  the  rapidity  with  which  the  voyage  had  been  made 
and  the  pleasure  attending  it.  But  no  events  were 
related.  There  was  nothing  about  wind  or  weather. 
The  coast  where  they  landed  and  the  country  in  the 
neighborhood  were  described,  but  nothing  was  stated 
by  which  the  location  could  be  determined.  A  very 
interesting  experience  had  been  gained,  but  no  one 
told  what  that  experience  was.  The  really  good 
news,  though  bad  for  the  newspapers,  was  that  all 
were  well,  barring  a  few  accidents  to  the  men  arising 
from  the  unusual  character  of  the  boats  in  which 
they  sailed.  All  were  happy,  but  did  not  know 
when  they  should  get  back  to  their  friends. 

The  daily  visits  of  the  reporters  to  Campbelltown 
were  almost  futile  so  far  as  any  new  results  were 
concerned.  Every  day  the  same  story :  "  Nothing 
more  has  been  heard  from  the  Northern  expedition, 
and  nothing  is  expected  to  be  heard  for  several  weeks 
to  come.  If  anything  is  heard  you  will  be  duly  in- 
formed. These  queer,  cigar-shaped  boats  are  being 
completed  as  usual.  When  they  are  finished  and 
ready  to  proceed  on  a  voyage,  you  will  be  notified. 

99 


His   Wisdom    the   Defender 

The  veil  of  secrecy  will  then  be  lifted,  and  you  shall 
see  how  the  boats  are  propelled." 

The  next  development  was  the  issue  of  a  large, 
beautifully  engraved  invitation,  to  the  following 
effect  : 

ff  The  Owner  of  the  Motes  requests  the  pleasure  of 
******* 

company  on  Tuesday,  May  29th,  to  witness  the  first 
public  attempt  to  run  the  Motes." 

This  invitation  was  sent  to  the  President  and  the 
heads  of  departments,  the  diplomatic  corps,  both 
Houses  of  Congress,  the  leading  officials  at  Washing- 
ton, including  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and 
a  few  officers  of  high  rank  in  the  army  and  navy. 
The  press  came  in  for  a  liberal  supply,  each  address- 
ed to  the  editor  of  the  journal  in  his  official  capacity. 
Presidents  and  professors  in  the  universities  and  col- 
leges were  remembered. 

With  each  invitation  was  a  card  stating  that  a  train 
would  leave  Washington  for  Campbelltown  at  2.30 
P.M.,,  on  the  appointed  day,  and  start  on  its  return 
about  seven. 

In  addition  to  these  general  invitations,  a  select 
number  received  invitations  to  dinner,  at  6.30,  with 
the  information  that  the  owner  of  the  motes  would 
take  advantage  of  the  occasion  to  make  a  statement 
respecting  his  policy. 

There  were  some  half-dozen  people  whose  pres- 
ence, for  various  reasons,  Campbell  especially  de- 

100 


And  Another   for  the   Duke 

sired.  Among  them  were  Winthrop,  the  Speaker 
of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  French  Am- 
bassador. Fearing  that  the  latter  might  have  some 
previous  engagement,  a  private  note  of  explanation 
was  sent  him  in  advance,  to  the  effect  that  the  exer- 
cises would  be  of  the  highest  order  of  interest.  The 
ambassador  took  the  hint  and  accepted  both  invita- 
tions. The  British  and  German  ambassadors  both 
sent  regrets.  It  happened  that  the  former  had  a 
ball  and  the  latter  a  dinner  on  that  very  evening. 
Campbell  was  not  in  the  least  dissatisfied  at  this,  as 
the  presence  of  the  Frenchman  and  the  absence  of 
the  other  two  would  serve  a  purpose  in  the  intricate 
game  he  expected  to  play. 

Outside  the  press,  the  amount  of  public  curiosity 
excited  was  less  than  would  have  been  expected.  The 
word  "  mote  "  had  never  been  publicly  used  until 
it  was  printed  in  the  invitation.  People  could  only 
guess  that  it  meant  the  queer,  cigar-shaped  boats. 
"  Who  wants  to  see  a  mere  attempt  ?  We  may  as 
well  wait  until  they  run;  then  we  shall  see  them 
without  doubt."  Influenced  by  such  considerations 
as  these,  about  one-third  of  the  invitees  either  de- 
clined or  failed  to  appear. 

The  great  body  of  the  Angelic  Order  had  gone 
with  the  expedition.  Some  twenty  neophytes  had 
been  kept  at  home  to  take  part  in  the  unveiling. 


VIII 
The    Great    Unveiling 

O1ST  the  morning  of  the  great  day  all  was  bustle 
and  activity  in  the  works  of  the  Anita 
Company.  The  few  remaining  daddies  and 
centipedes  were  taken  down,  supporting  ropes 
were  removed,  and  they  were  allowed  to  rest  upon 
the  ground.  Then,  instead  of  being  tied  as  be- 
fore to  the  top  of  the  tower,  they  were  fastened 
to  the  ground,  as  if  to  prevent  them  from  flying 
away.  When  the  Seraphim  commenced  their  prac- 
tice, they  were  astonished  to  find  that  the  motes  ran 
just  as  well  without  the  supporting  cords  as  they 
had  done  with  them.  The  difficulty  now  was  to 
prevent  their  flying  away  altogether.  When  the 
proper  lever  was  removed,  they  rose  in  the  air  and 
could  be  directed  at  pleasure  so  far  as  the  tethers  by 
which  they  were  bound  would  permit.  It  was  a  rep- 
etition, on  a  larger  scale,  of  the  scene  in  the  uncanny 
workshop. 

Three  of  the  best-trained  Seraphs  were  then  taken 
on  board  the  loomotes,  where  they  were  shown  how 

102 


The   Great   Unveiling 

the  mote  was  to  be  managed  and  run.  Thus  every- 
thing was  ready  for  the  exhibition  before  the  ap- 
pointed hour.  Trains  were  kept  running  all  day, 
and  a  large  body  of  visitors  besides  those  who  had 
been  specially  invited  availed  themselves  of  the  oc- 
casion to  see  the  town  and,  if  possible,  witness  the 
unveiling  of  the  mystery.  When  the  two  trains 
bearing  the  invitees  arrived,  they  were  shown  into 
the  enclosure,  where  the  motes,  now  two  hundred  in 
number,  lay. 

The  regular  guests  were  followed  by  the  crowd 
of  sight-seers,  who  were  freely  admitted.  All  were 
requested  to  arrange  themselves  round  the  borders 
of  the  enclosure. 

The  gate  by  which  the  guests  entered  was  near 
the  middle  of  the  northern  wall.  About  a  hundred 
yards  in  front  of  the  entrance  was  a  grand-stand, 
erected  for  the  accommodation  of  the  specially  in- 
vited guests,  the  crowd  being  kept  in  the  rear.  As  the 
stand  was  filled,  the  scene  presented  to  the  eyes  of  the 
occupants  excited  their  curiosity  to  the  highest  pitch. 
Immediately  in  front  of  them  was  one  of  the  huge 
structures  we  have  already  described — a  cylindrical- 
ly  formed  "  ship  "  built  of  aluminium,  300  feet  long 
in  the  body,  and  towering  60  feet  above  the  ground. 
One  end  terminated  in  a  hemisphere,  the  other  in  a 
round,  blunt  projection  in  the  shape  of  a  rifle  cannon- 
shot  or  the  end  of  a  cigar.  The  whole  was  painted 
light  green.  On  this  background  was  painted  in  im- 
mense letters  the  words: 

103 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

"To  the  ocean  now  I  fly— and  the  happy  climes  that  lie 
Where  day  never  shuts  his  eye — up  in  the  broad  fields  of  the 
sky." 

This  inscription  extended  along  two-thirds  the 
length  of  the  mote,  and  might  have  been  read  half 
a  mile  away.  Above  everything  towered  what  was 
evidently  the  pilot-house,  in  which  could  be  seen 
several  men,  looking  for  all  the  world  as  if  they  were 
on  ship-board,  waiting  for  the  engines  to  start.  And 
yet,  not  only  was  the  ship  not  launched,  but  there 
were  no  visible  means  of  propulsion  if  she  had  been. 
On  each  side  of  the  pilot-house  was  painted  the  name 
Hesperus. 

Beyond  the  Hesperus  was  a  sister-mote  of  the  same 
size,  the  Cynthia.  She  also  had  her  poetic  inscrip- 
tion: 

"  Nature,  that  heard  such  sound,  beneath  the  hollow  round 

Of  Cynthia's  seat  the  airy  region  thrilling, 
Now  was  almost  won  to  think  her  part  was  done, 
And  that  her  reign  had  here  its  last  fulfilling." 

To  the  left  of  the  Hesperus,  and  yet  farther  from 
the  river,  were  two  motes  of  somewhat  smaller  size, 
which  were  being  fitted  up  most  sumptuously.  The 
nearest  bore  the  name  Concordia  and  the  inscrip- 
tion: 

"Hoch  uberm  niedern  Erdenleben  soil  sie  im  blauen  Himmels- 

zelt 

Die  Nachbarin  des  Donners  schweben  und  grenzen  an  die 
Sternenwelt." 

The  other  bore  the  name  Friede. 

104 


The   Great   Unveiling 

As  the  guests  faced  the  Hesperus  the  river  was 
on  their  right.  The  space  between  the  huge  mote 
and  the  river  had  been  cleared  away,  as  if  to  make 
room  for  the  expected  launching.  But  every  ap- 
pliance for  such  an  operation  was  wanting.  The 
only  noticeable  object  was  a  small  cannon,  pointed 
towards  the  river.  What  could  be  coming? 

To  the  left,  on  each  of  the  great  motes,  were  the 
two  hundred  or  more  smaller  ones  we  have  described. 
Individually  they  looked  insignificant  alongside  their 
huge  neighbors,  but  collectively  excited  as  much 
curiosity  as  the  others.  What  possible  object  could 
there  be  in  building  so  many  of  these  vessels  in  ad- 
vance? The  name  of  the  nearest  one  excited  spe- 
cial attention.  This  was  the  air-tight  one  we  have 
already  described,  which  now  bore  on  its  side  the 
words 

THE  GOLDEN  AGE. 

It  seemed  to  the  guests  that  if  any  of  the  "  boats," 
as  they  called  them,  were  worthy  of  this  appellation, 
it  ought  to  be  the  largest  ones.  They  changed  their 
minds  in  less  than  forty-eight  hours. 

The  attention  of  Campbell  was  principally  occu- 
pied with  the  Hesperus.  He  stood  outside  of  her, 
giving  directions  to  and  hearing  reports  from  a  num- 
ber of  assistants  who  were  continually  running  in 
and  out  of  her,  and  talking  with  the  men  in  the  pilot- 
house. It  was  at  length  noticed  that  this  bustle 
ceased.  The  spectators  held  their  breath  as  they 
saw  the  central  figure  of  the  whole  scene  walk  slow- 

105 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

ly  to  the  stand,  ascend  the  steps,  and  take  one  of  the 
seats  which  had  been  reserved  for  his  party  in  front. 
On  his  right  sat  the  French  ambassador ;  on  his  left 
President  Winthrop  and  Mr.  Justice  Geary  of  the 
Supreme  Court.  He  first  looked  intently  at  the 
men  in  the  pilot-house,  then,  rising  from  his  seat, 
he  leaned  forward  towards  the  right  and  made  a 
signal  to  the  man  at  the  gun.  The  report  of  the 
latter  was  echoed  from  the  sides  of  the  motes. 

Immediately  a  scene  was  presented  to  the  spec- 
tators which  made  each  feel  that  he  must  either  be 
dreaming  or  was  being  treated  to  a  theatrical  exhi- 
bition. The  mighty  Hesperus,  with  its  thousand  tons 
of  weight,  began  to  move,  then  rose  slowly  and  ma- 
jestically in  the  air  to  a  height  of  several  thousand 
feet,  swung  in  a  vast  circle,  including  half  the 
breadth  of  the  river  in  its  radius,  returned  to  its 
starting-point,  and  slowly  settled  down  in  its  place. 

Then,  one  after  the  other,  three  or  four  of  the 
lesser  motes  rose  in  the  same  way,  described  a  yet 
wider  circle,  and  returned  in  like  manner. 

A  herald  cried  out  a  request  to  all  the  guests  who 
wished  to  take  a  sail  to  enter  the  Hesperus  and  climb 
to  her  upper  deck.  Campbell  entered  first,  follow- 
ed by  some  fifty  of  the  boldest  of  his  visitors.  Among 
the  latter  was  President  Winthrop.  The  opening  in 
the  bottom  through  which  they  had  entered  was 
closed  and  the  word  of  command  was  given.  In  a 
moment  all  on  board  felt  themselves  in  motion,  and, 
looking  through  the  glass  sides  which  enclosed  them, 

106 


The   Great  Unveiling 

could  see  the  ground  about  them  and  the  thou- 
sands of  upturned  faces  sinking  rapidly  downward. 
In  three  minutes  the  broad  Potomac  was  below  their 
feet,  and  a  rushing,  whizzing  sound  gradually  in- 
creased. This  was  caused  by  the  rapid  motion  of 
the  mote  through  the  air.  Five  minutes  later  the 
whole  breadth  of  the  Chesapeake  was  spread  out  to 
view,  as  the  vessel  rushed  forward  in  her  swift  course 
of  more  than  two  hundred  miles  an  hour.  A  great 
swing  was  made  which  brought  Fortress  Monroe  in 
sight.  A  broad  curve  was  then  taken  towards  the 
north,  and  in  less  than  an  hour,  with  the  increasing 
height,  Baltimore  and  Washington  were  seen  through 
the  air. 

The  emotion  felt  on  board  was  such  that  scarcely 
a  word  was  uttered.  The  passengers  looked  on  in 
almost  breathless  expectancy,  not  unmingled  with 
apprehension. 

When  the  mote  returned  and  was  safely  landed, 
Campbell  and  Winthrop  approached  each  other. 
Both  recalled  a  conversation  they  had  held  four  years 
before.  Campbell  spoke  first: 

"  Do  you  remember  what  I  said  to  you  at  that 
interview  when  I  asked  leave  of  absence  from  my 
professional  duties  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  have  never  forgotten  it." 

"  I  have  often  been  curious  to  know  what  you 
thought  of  my  remark  at  the  time." 

"  I  was  simply  perplexed  beyond  measure,  and 
had  serious  fears  for  your  mental  condition,  Not 

107 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

before  you  began  to  astonish  the  world  by  your  in- 
ventions was  my  uneasiness  removed.  Now  it  looks 
to  me  as  if  you  might  very  well  claim  that  this  is 
the  greatest  day  in  the  history  of  the  world." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  the  greatest  day  the  world  has  yet 
seen,  but  I  hope  for  a  yet  greater  one  hereafter." 

A  crowd  had  gathered  round,  listening  with  intense 
interest  to  the  conversation.  "  Excuse  us  a  moment," 
said  Campbell,  "  I  wish  to  say  a  word  in  private  to 
Winthrop.  Come  with  me."  Then,  when  they  had 
retired  into  a  corner: 

"  This  is  only  the  beginning,  and  is  not  the  day 
I  had  in  mind  when  I  spoke.  The  greatest  day  in 
the  history  of  the  world,  if  I  can  bring  it  about,  will 
be  that  when  war  shall  have  ceased  forever,  armies 
and  navies  exist  no  longer,  and  universal  peace  reign 
over  all  the  nations.  Not  till  then  will  all  my  hopes 
be  fulfilled." 

"  That  looks  hopeless,  and  yet  I  must  admit  that 
if  any  man  can  bring  it  about  it's  you." 

"  Be  sure  you  do  not  drop  a  whisper  about  it  to 
any  one;  but  I  mean  to  bring  it  about." 

The  dining-table  was  spread  in  the  Coliseum,  in 
the  north  end  of  which  had  been  erected  a  large 
banqueting-hall. 

After  the  table  was  cleared  Campbell  made  an  ad- 
dress, which  is  of  such  historic  importance  that  we 
shall  reproduce  its  main  features: 

"FRIENDS    AND    FELLOW-CITIZENS,  —  I    do    not 
108 


The    Great   Unveiling 

think  you  will  look  for  any  apology  from  me  for 
making  some  remarks  on  what  you  have  to-day  seen. 
Many  questions  must  be  presenting  themselves  to 
your  minds.  I  fancy  that  one  of  the  foremost  of 
these  questions  is  why  I  have  proceeded  so  secretly 
in  the  work  of  perfecting  the  application  of  certain 
forces  of  nature,  the  result  of  which  you  have  seen 
before  you  to-day.  This  question  will  be  answer- 
ed when  I  set  forth  to  you  the  state  of  things  as  it 
has  presented  itself  to  my  mind. 

"  It  is  now  a  little  more  than  four  years  since 
I  found  myself  in  possession  of  a  natural  agent  of 
which  man  had  never  before  suspected  the  existence, 
an  agent  by  using  which,  instead  of  being  confined 
to  the  earth  as  heretofore,  he  could  fly  from  conti- 
nent to  continent  with  a  speed  which  the  wildest 
imagination  of  the  poet  never  conceived.  The  in- 
auguration of  the  golden  age  seemed  quite  within 
my  power.  No  part  of  the  earth  would  hereafter 
be  difficult  of  access.  Men  could  fly  above  the  air 
and,  in  the  pure  ether,  make  the  circuit  of  the  earth 
with  almost  astronomic  speed. 

"  As  a  scientific  investigator,  the  main  object 
of  whose  life  had  been  to  benefit  his  fellows,  my 
first  impulse  was  to  make  known  my  discovery  to 
the  world  and  invite  all  men  to  share  in  its  benefi- 
cent results.  But  a  little  consideration  showed  that 
this  course  would  be  productive,  for  a  long  time  to 
come,  of  irreparable  disaster.  A  situation  would  at 
once  be  created  with  which  the  laws  and  customs  of 

109 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

men  would  not  enable  them  to  cope.  Universal 
confusion  would  have  followed  the  demonstration 
of  my  discovery.  I  can  hardly  describe  to  you  in 
detail  what  would  have  happened.  First  of  all,  it 
is  clear  enough  that  the  stocks  and  bonds  of  all  exist- 
ing railway  and  transportation  companies  would,  at 
a  single  stroke,  have  become  nearly  worthless,  were 
the  building  of  the  new  vehicles  allowed  to  go  on 
as  rapidly  as  enterprise  could  produce  them.  A  year 
or  two  only  would  be  necessary  to  do  away  with 
railways,  unless  for  local  transportation,  and  steam- 
ships would  have  ceased  to  run  within  another  year. 
The  fall  in  railway  stocks  would  have  produced  a 
universal  panic  and  a  corresponding  fall  in  almost 
every  other  form  of  investment  securities.  Univer- 
sal bankruptcy,  with  all  the  calamities  attending 
upon  it,  would  have  been  the  immediate  result.  Al- 
most every  form  of  industry  would  have  been  strick- 
en as  by  a  paralysis.  Widespread  starvation  among 
the  masses,  now  deprived  of  employment,  could  have 
been  averted  only  by  an  almost  universal  system  of 
gratuitous  distribution  of  food  and  other  supplies. 
The  work  of  recovering  from  the  cataclysm  would 
have  been  that  of  making  a  new  world. 

"  Must  T  then  abandon  the  project  of  doing  to  my 
fellow-men  a  great  good,  because  they  would  con- 
vert it  into  a  great  evil  ?  Must  the  secret  be  allowed 
to  die  with  me,  perhaps  to  be  revived  in  some  fut- 
ure generation  ?  After  a  long  and  careful  reflec- 
tion it  became  evident  to  me  that  if  I  could  retain 

110 


The   Great   Unveiling 

in  my  own  hands  the  power  to  guide  the  revolution, 
I  could  bring  about  all  its  benefits  without  its  at- 
tendant evils.  To  do  this  my  power  must  be  abso- 
lute. To  gain  absolute  power  I  must  acquire  the 
means  of  carrying  on  my  enterprise  before  the  pub- 
lic should  be  made  acquainted  with  its  nature.  Had 
it  been  known  when  I  founded  this  town  four  years 
ago  that  I  was  building  vehicles  which  would  do 
away  with  railways  and  steamships,  the  whole  coun- 
try would  have  been  thrown  into  a  panic.  The 
pressure  on  me  and  the  crowd  around  me  would  have 
been  such  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  me 
to  go  on  with  the  work  in  the  quiet  and  systematic 
way  which  was  necessary  to  success.  I  must,  there- 
fore, whenever  my  object  became  public,  be  able  to 
say  to  my  fellow-men,  see  what  I  can  do  for  you, 
but  do  not  crowd  upon  me  to  seize  what  I  have  got, 
and  thus  bring  disaster  upon  your  fellows. 

"  The  key-stone  of  my  policy  is  that  the  power  of 
the  flying  motes,  which  has  been  exhibited  to  you  to- 
day, shall  be  used  solely  for  the  benefit  of  the  entire 
human  race.  From  this  day  forward  no  person, 
not  even  myself,  shall  derive  any  emoluments  from  it 
except  those  to  which  they  shall  be  entitled  as  com- 
pensation for  services  rendered. 

******* 

"  I  propose  to  call  the  vehicles  which  you  have  to- 
day seen  running  through  the  air  by  the  general 
name  of  motes.  It  is  brief  and  significant,  and  will 
not  fail  to  strike  you  favorably.  The  motes,  so  far 

111 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

as  I  have  yet  built  and  projected  them,  are  of  three 
kinds.  I  propose  to  call  them  loomotes,  weemotes, 
and  himotes.  These  little  syllables  are  short  and 
easily  distinguished.  The  loomotes  are  the  largest 
of  the  kind.  The  Cynthia  and  the  Hesperus,  on  the 
last  named  of  which  many  of  you  to-day  have  made 
a  wide  circuit,  are  examples.  They  are  several  hun- 
dred feet  in  length,  and  so  fitted  up  that  passengers 
may  easily  eat  and  sleep  during  their  journey,  as 
they  do  on  steamships." 

We  spare  our  readers  his  description  of  the  wee- 
motes  and  himotes,  with  which  they  are  so  familiar. 

"  The  radical  change  which  the  running  of  the 
motes  will  make  in  the  relations  of  nations  cannot 
avoid  having  its  political  side,  which  must  be  taken 
account  of  in  framing  all  plans.  I  propose  as  soon  as 
possible  to  send  a  mission,  in  one  of  the  smaller 
loomotes,  to  each  of  the  principal  European  capitals. 
I  desire  that  this  mission  shall  invite  one  or  more 
leading  publicists  in  each  country  to  a  general  con- 
ference with  me  at  the  earliest  possible  date.  Per- 
haps this  conference  may  assume  a  certain  perma- 
nence in  its  deliberations.  Its  main  purpose  will 
be  to  advise  me  as  to  the  political  effects  of  the  mote 
service.  I  cannot  at  the  present  time  go  far  in  an- 
ticipating the  conclusions  of  these  deliberations.  One 
conclusion,  however,  seems  clear:  the  mote  service 
should  be  able  to  assume  a  position  of  political  in- 

112 


The   Great    Unveiling 

dependence,  so  far  at  least  as  the  international  ser- 
vice is  concerned.  This  end  must  be  kept  in  view 
from  the  beginning. 

"  Whether  this  end  be  gained  or  not,  it  seems  de- 
sirable that  the  supreme  authority  in  directing  the 
policy  of  the  motes  should  have  a  special  title.  I 
propose  that  e  Owner  of  the  Motes  '  shall  be  that 
title,  until  a  better  one  is  devised. 

"  I  now  wish  to  read  one  general  regulation  which 
I  have  established  for  the  special  benefit  of  the 
gentlemen  of  the  press,  with  whom  I  desire  to  hold 
the  most  friendly  relations.  The  profession  of  jour- 
nalism is  a  trying  one,  in  that  it  is  necessary  to  pub- 
lish every  piece  of  news  as  soon  as  possible,  which 
frequently  makes  errors  unavoidable.  It  is  embar- 
rassing to  have  such  errors  speedily  pointed  out  by 
those  in  authority.  To  guard  against  this  the  rule 
I  have  made  is  as  follows : 

"  '  Neither  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  nor  any  one 
connected  with  their  management  shall  contradict 
any  false  report  that  may  be  published  respecting 
the  views  or  proceedings  of  those  in  charge  of  the 
mote  service.' ' 

After  reading  this  he  hesitated  a  moment,  and,  for 
the  first  time  in  the  course  of  the  day,  a  humorous 
smile  began  to  spread  over  his  features. 

"  I  notice,"  he  said,  "  that  there  is  a  curious  feat- 
ure about  this  order.  It  forbids  the  contradiction 
of  a  false  report,  but  does  not  forbid  the  contradic- 
H  113 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

tion  of  a  true  one.  The  inevitable  conclusion  is 
that,  in  case  any  report  is  contradicted,  that  very 
fact  will  give  evidence  of  its  truth.  It  is  no  doubt 
a  pity  that  the  order  is  so  worded  as  to  make  this 
possible,  but  the  difficulty  may  be  avoided  by  simply 
not  contradicting  any  report  whatever.  I  am  sure 
such  a  policy  will  relieve  our  journals  of  all  embar- 
rassment." 

It  is  questionable  whether  even  the  red-headed 
man  saw  how  astutely  this  order  was  contrived.  The 
pleasure  of  publishing  authoritative  confirmations 
and  contradictions  could  never  be  enjoyed  so  long  as 
the  order  was  enforced.  The  public  would  have  to 
take  what  the  newspapers  said  with  just  as  many 
grains  of  salt  as  it  thought  proper. 

Our  readers  will  not  fail  to  note  that  in  all  this 
address  the  uppermost  thought  in  Campbell's  mind 
was  evaded.  This  was  the  relation  of  the  motes 
to  warfare.  He  judged  it  best  not  to  let  the  public 
know  that  he  had  this  aspect  of  the  case  in  mind 
until  it  had  at  least  seen  the  importance  of  the  prob- 
lem by  itself.  His  solution,  as  our  readers  have  al- 
ready seen,  was  completely  worked  out,  but  he  want- 
ed to  see  what  conclusions  the  world  would  reach 
on  the  subject  by  its  own  motion. 

After  thanking  the  guests  for  thieir  attention, 
Campbell  invited  them  to  follow  him  to  a  scene  very 
different  in  its  character  to  that  which  they  had 
witnessed,  but  which  he  hoped  they  would  not  con- 
sider inappropriate.  As  they  left  the  structure  in 

114 


The    Great   Unveiling 

which  the  banquet  had  been  held  they  saw  in  the  star- 
light an  immense  curtain  spread  before  them,  through 
the  folds  of  which  glimmered  what  looked  like  moon- 
light, though  there  was  no  moon  in  the  sky.  As  their 
leader  approached,  the  curtain  opened  and  exposed 
what  seemed  to  be  a  Grecian  temple.  Its  end  was 
turned  towards  them,  and  its  pediment  was  support- 
ed by  a  row  of  Corinthian  columns.  It  was  built  en- 
tirely of  phosphorescent  ware,  and  was  seen  only  by 
its  own  glow,  which  gave  it  the  appearance  of  masses 
of  transparent  alabaster  illuminated  through  their 
whole  interior.  Its  walls  seemed  higher  than  the 
Coliseum  in  which  it  was  built,  and  the  surrounding 
gloom  was  made  impressive  by  the  soft  light  which 
it  shed.  The  steps  and  the  floor  were  of  wood,  and 
therefore  dark — else  the  guests  would  have  hardly 
dared  to  mount  them.  Entering,  the  shining  walls 
on  each  side,  strengthened  by  rows  of  pilasters,  seem- 
ed to  extend  more  than  a  hundred  yards,  and  to  be  a 
hundred  feet  in  height.  These  dimensions  were  part- 
ly the  result  of  a  cunningly  devised  illusion  in  per- 
spective. The  light  shed  from  all  sides  illuminated 
the  whole  interior  without  casting  a  shadow.  Look- 
ing up,  it  was  seen  that  there  was  no  roof,  and  the 
sky,  with  the  few  stars  whose  light  was  not  extin- 
guished by  that  of  the  walls,  added  to  the  impress- 
iveness  of  the  scene.  On  each  side  were  rows  of 
seats,  which  the  company  were  invited  to  occupy. 

Presently   strains   of   sacred   music   were   heard, 
though  no  organ  was  in  sight.     Commencing  as  if  at 

115 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

a  great  distance,  its  tones  grew  louder  and  louder. 
Then,  above  the  farther  end  of  the  temple,  was  seen 
approaching  in  the  air  a  crowd  of  beings  attired 
as  angels  in  robes,  which  seemed  to  shine  even  bright- 
er than  the  walls  of  the  temple.  Soon  the  great  song 
of  praise  was  heard,  sung  by  the  whole  chorus  of 
Seraphim  and  their  companions  in  the  language  in 
which  the  largest  part  of  the  Christian  Church  has 
listened  to  it  for  centuries: 

"  Te  Deum  laudamus,  te  Dominum  confitemur, 
Te  seternum  Patrem  omnis  terra  veneratur." 

The  song  of  thanksgiving  concluded,  Campbell 
took  leave  of  his  guests,  after  inviting  four  of  them 
to  accompany  him  to  his  private  office. 

"  Never  in  my  life  have  I  seen  anything  so  im- 
pressive," said  Winthrop.  "  It  makes  me  feel  as 
if  all  things  sublunary  were,  for  the  time  at  least, 
unworthy  to  occupy  our  thoughts.  And  yet  you 
have  given  us  more  to  think  about  than  the  world 
ever  gave  before.  That  is,  if  I  am  not  dreaming. 
I  cannot  feel  quite  sure  that  I  am  not,  for  the  dream- 
er is  often  sure  that  he  is  awake." 

"  Let  us  dream  on,  then ;  I  would  feel  as  you  do 
if  I  had  not  had  this  picture  before  my  mind  for 
years.  Now  let  me  tell  you  something.  I  want 
you  to  be  nearest  to  me  for  some  time  to  come ;  per- 
haps for  good.  And  yet,  I  do  not  dare  to  tell  you 
all  that  I  have  in  mind.  You  perceive  what  a  ter- 
rible responsibility  rests  upon  me  in  so  conducting 

116 


The   Great   Unveiling 

this  enterprise  that  the  ends  I  have  in  view  shall 
be  reached." 

Then,  turning  to  the  others : 

"  I  desire  to  have  your  frank  opinions  from  time 
to  time,  either  individually  or  collectively.  I  de- 
sire your  help  in  getting  the  best  men  for  each  high 
and  responsible  station  that  has  to  be  filled.  In 
the  case  of  the  highest  positions  the  responsibility 
will  be  too  great  for  the  place  to  be  sought  after  and 
the  honor  too  great  for  it  to  be  declined. 

"  I  am  not  sure  that  you  fully  appreciate  the  grav- 
ity of  the  situation  which  has  been  created.  In  my 
speech  I  have  purposely  omitted  the  main  point,  be- 
cause I  considered  it  best  to  say  nothing  about  it  un- 
til the  public  should  see  and  inquire  for  itself.  It 
is  evident  enough  that  the  first  power  which  can 
get  possession  of  a  fleet  of  motes  can  land  an  army 
in  its  neighbor's  capital,  take  possession  of  its  gov- 
ernment, devastate  its  cities  with  dynamite,  blow  up 
its  fortifications,  and  do  anything  it  pleases.  It  can 
make  itself  master  of  the  world.  The  turmoil  which 
the  mad  rush  for  money  will  make  will  be  of  small 
importance  alongside  the  public  danger  from  the 
use  of  the  motes  as  instruments  of  conquest. 

"  What  is  my  duty  in  this  conjuncture  ?  I  feel 
myself  responsible  to  God  and  man  for  taking  such 
measures  that  the  power  I  have  created  shall  be  used 
for  good  and  not  for  evil.  What  must  I  do  to  secure 
this  end?  On  this  matter  I  want  the  advice  both 
of  yourselves  and  of  the  wisest  men  of  the  world. 

117 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

My  own  opinion  I  will  state  only  in  a  general  way. 
Every  consideration  forces  me  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  more  aggressive  my  policy,  and  the  more 
fearless  my  determination,  so  long  as  I  keep  with- 
in the  bounds  of  law,  the  better  it  will  be  for  hu- 
manity. And  when  I  say  the  bounds  of  law  I  do 
not  mean  the  law  of  the  past,  but  the  law  that  must 
govern  the  future. 

"  I  have  spoken  of  the  mission  which  I  propose 
to  send  immediately  to  the  leading  capitals  of  the 
world.  I  wish  President  Winthrop  to  be  the  leader 
in  this  mission.  I  regard  this  duty  as  coming  into 
the  category  of  those  I  have  described  which  are 
neither  to  be  sought  nor  declined.  President  Win- 
throp, do  you  accept  this  view  ?" 

Winthrop  asked  for  time  to  think  over  the  matter. 
No  one  knew  what  a  day  might  bring  forth. 

Campbell  resumed: 

"  My  policy,  whatever  it  may  be,  must  be  pur- 
sued unflinchingly  to  the  end.  I  want  you  to  sus- 
tain me  in  this,  and  not  to  let  me  give  way  at  a  criti- 
cal moment.  One  last  word.  It  is  necessary  that 
the  dignity  of  my  position  as  the  leader  in  this  enter- 
prise shall  be  sustained.  I  trust  that  you  will  do 
what  you  can  to  assert  it. 

"Please  keep  within  call.  Perhaps  you  did  not 
notice  out  there  in  the  field  a  few  motes  smaller  than 
the  others,  and  shaped  quite  differently.  These  I 
call  i  messenger  motes.'  They  are  intended  for  the 
rapid  conveyance  of  envoys  or  of  despatches  from 

118 


The    Great    Unveiling 

one  point  to  another;  hence  their  name.  One  of 
these  will  be  at  the  service  of  each  of  you  from  and 
after  to-morrow.  By  their  aid  you  can  go  where 
you  please  and  confer  with  whom  you  think  proper. 
I  ask  you  to  be  my  guests  for  to-night.  In  the  morn- 
ing, after  breakfast,  your  motes  will  be  at  your  dis- 
posal." 


IX 
A  Voyage  Through  Space 


AHONG  the  Seraphim,  one  who  had  especially 
attracted  Campbell's  attention  by  his  cool- 
ness, nerve,  and  silence  was  the  since  famous 
Captain  Rogers.  He  had  therefore  been  selected  to 
run  the  Hesperus  on  the  day  of  the  unveiling,  and 
was  to  take  the  Golden  Age,  the  first  of  the  himotes, 
on  her  trial  trip  next  morning.  This  venture  gave 
Campbell  more  real  anxiety  than  the  short  trips  of 
the  Hesperus,  because  his  experiments  had  already 
demonstrated  what  the  latter  could  do,  while  the 
possibilities  of  the  himote  were  still  untried.  Noth- 
ing less  was  projected  than  sending  the  Golden  Age 
round  the  world  above  the  atmosphere.  So  daring  a 
conception,  and  one  fraught  with  such  possibilities, 
might  well  appall  even  the  courageous  author.  No 
human  being  had  ever  mounted  more  than  four  or 
five  miles  above  the  earth's  surface,  not  only  from 
the  impossibility  of  the  ascent,  but  because  the  air 
got  too  rare  to  breathe.  How  could  men  ascend 
entirely  above  the  air  —  into  the  celestial  spaces,  in 
fact  —  by  the  newly  discovered  force  ?  Only  one  way 

120 


A   Voyage    Through    Space 

was  possible.  They  must  be  hermetically  sealed  in- 
side an  air-tight  tube,  and  carry  the  air  to  breathe 
with  them.  The  contrivances  for  enabling  them  to 
determine  their  height  and  position,  guide  and  direct 
the  mote,  purify  the  small  supply  of  air  at  their  dis- 
posal, and  guard  against  the  dangers  they  might  in- 
cur during  their  flight  through  the  celestial  spaces 
had  long  occupied  an  important  part  of  Campbell's 
attention. 

It  was  a  prime  condition  with  him  that  the  first 
experiments  in  so  perilous  an  enterprise  must  be 
made  by  men  who  had  no  near  relatives.  Another 
was  that  no  one  should  be  allowed  to  go  who  did  not 
volunteer  to  do  so  after  fully  understanding  the  pos- 
sibilities of  the  case.  Rogers,  having,  in  his  own 
words,  "  neither  parents,  wife,  chick,  nor  child,"  was 
quite  ready  to  be  one  of  a  party  who  could  always 
thereafter  say 

"We  were  the  first  that  ever  burst 
Into  that  silent  sea" 

of  the  celestial  spaces.  With  the  knowledge  only 
of  his  chief,  he  had,  on  several  previous  nights,  risen 
from  the  Coliseum  in  the  Golden  Age  to  a  height, 
first  of  fifty,  and  then  of  a  hundred  miles,  in  order 
to  insure  that  all  the  contrivances  were  in  proper 
working  order.  Being  satisfied  on  this  point,  he 
was  eager  to  make  the  trip. 

With  no  resistance  from  the  air,  there  was  no 
limit  to  the  possible  speed  of  travel  except  that  set 

121 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

by  the  limit  to  which  the  etherine  within  the  tubes 
of  the  mote  might  be  thermalized.  The  energy  from 
five  hundred  tons  of  coal  had  been  infused  into  the 
etherine,  and  this,  Campbell  had  calculated,  would 
suffice  not  only  to  carry  the  mote  to  a  height  of  a 
hundred  miles  or  more  but  to  set  it  flying  with  a 
speed  of  at  least  two  miles  a  second.  But  he  warn- 
ed his  captain  against  attempting  any  such  speed  at 
first;  he  must  find,  by  careful  watching,  what  effects 
might  be  produced  by  the  speed.  Even  the  thinnest 
air  would  speedily  burn  the  hardest  body  passing 
through  it  at  such  a  rate. 

Rogers  had  two  companions  to  go  with  him. 
The  duties  of  all  three  men  were  strictly  defined. 
The  captain  was  to  occupy  himself  principally  with 
the  levers  by  which  the  vibrations  of  the  etherine 
were  directed  and  controlled,  and  thus  guide  the 
mote  and  fix  her  speed. 

A  second,  called  the  "  Sounder,"  was  to  occupy 
himself  with  the  optical  instrument  by  which  the 
height  of  the  mote  above  the  earth's  surface  at  any 
moment  could  be  ascertained.  This  consisted  main- 
ly of  a  slender  telescope  which  passed  through  a  ver- 
tical tube  and  through  a  small  round  opening  in 
the  bottom  of  the  mote.  At  the  bottom  of  the  tele- 
scope were  two  reflectors  so  arranged  that,  when  the 
mote  was  high  above  the  earth,  the  man  at  the  tele- 
scope could  see  a  portion  of  the  horizon  on  each  side 
in  his  field  of  view,  and,  by  the  angle  between  them, 
determine  the  height.  All  the  fittings  of  the  tele- 

122 


A   Voyage    Through    Space 

scope  and  of  the  tube  in  which  it  slid  had  to  be  air- 
tight, so  that  no  air  could  escape  from  the  mote 
through  them.  The  upper  parts  of  the  tube  and 
telescope  were  contained  in  a  vertical  case,  about 
six  inches  square,  which  rose  from  the  floor,  to  which 
it  was  fastened.  In  front  of  it  was  a  seat  for  the 
observer,  who  sat  with  the  case  between  his  knees, 
and  his  body  bent  forward,  so  that  he  could  look 
vertically  downward  into  the  telescope.  He  was 
not  to  leave  his  seat  while  the  mote  was  in  rapid  mo- 
tion, except  in  an  emergency,  but  was  continually 
to  report  to  the  captain  the  varying  height. 

The  third  man  was  to  keep  a  lookout  generally, 
especially  at  and  through  the  glasses  which  closed 
the  port-holes,  and  at  the  barometers  which  indicated 
the  internal  and  external  air-pressure.  He  was  to 
watch  the  air-blowers,  to  see  that  they  kept  the  air 
passing  through  the  sulphuric-acid  tubes,  and  reg- 
ulate the  flow  from  the  tubes  of  compressed  oxygen, 
by  which  that  element  was  added  to  the  air  so  as  to 
keep  pace  with  its  exhaustion  by  the  breathing  of  the 
party.  In  case  of  the  fracture  of  a  window,  or  any 
leak  of  the  air,  he  was  instantly  to  spring  at  the  point 
and  cover  the  leak  with  the  nearest  cushion. 

A  bundle  of  New  York  papers  was  taken  on  board, 
to  be  thrown  out  when  over  some  of  the  great 
cities,  especially  London.  Kogers  was  apprised  that  it 
would  be  of  no  use?  even  were  it  practicable,  to  do 
this  at  the  greatest  heights,  because  the  velocity  ac- 
quired by  the  papers  in  falling  through  the  vacuum 

123 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

would  be  such  that  they  would  take  fire  on  reaching 
the  thinnest  air,  and  never  reach  the  ground. 

Next  morning  it  was  after  sunrise  when  Camp- 
bell, two  laborers,  and  the  three  ambitious  voyagers 
met  at  the  entrance  of  the  Golden  Age.  There  was  a 
warm  shaking  of  hands.  The  chief  was  so  affected  by 
his  emotions  that  he  embraced  the  captain  before 
parting  with  him.  Then,  one  after  the  other,  the  three 
men  lay  themselves  inside  the  entering-tubes  and 
were  pushed  into  the  mote  by  the  two  workmen.  The 
door  closed  after  them,  shutting  them  out  of  all  com- 
munication with  the  world  of  men.  A  few  moments 
of  breathless  suspense,  and  the  mote  rose  from  its 
supports;  then,  when  all  was  clear,  darted  forward 
and  upward.  In  five  minutes  it  was  a  black  speck 
high  up  in  the  blue  sky  to  the  southeast.  This 
speck  grew  smaller  and  grayer  every  moment  till 
it  vanished  from  sight.  Then  Campbell  slowly 
walked  to  his  home  to  hear  what  the  world  had  to 
say. 

The  sailing  orders  of  the  Golden  Age  were  that 
if  everything  went  right  she  should  make  first  for 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  land  there  in  order  to 
make  a  careful  examination  to  see  if  she  had  suffered 
from  the  effect  of  her  voyage.  What  to  be  done 
next  was  left  mostly  to  the  judgment  of  the  captain. 
He  could  go  around  the  world  if  he  chose,  but  was 
warned  not  to  go  far  into  the  shadow  of  the  earth, 
but  keep  within  sunshine,  lest  the  intense  cold  of  the 
celestial  spaces  might  injuriously  affect  the  walls 

124 


A   Voyage    Through    Space 

of  the  mote.  Let  us  accompany  the  party  and  share 
its  experiences. 

For  twenty  minutes  hardly  a  word  was  spoken. 
Then  the  sounder,  looking  up  from  his  instrument, 
made  his  first  announcement: 

"Fifteen  miles  high!" 

"How  dark  the  sky  is  getting!"  said  the  look- 
out. 

In  fact,  the  windows  on  the  right-hand  side  were 
rapidly  growing  darker,  as  if  night  were  coming  on. 
On  the  left  the  sun  shone  through  the  openings  with 
a  strange  tinge,  its  rays  seeming  hardly  to  illumi- 
nate anything  on  their  passage,  but,  falling  on  the 
walls  of  the  other  side,  made  a  long  row  of  bright 
bluish  circles. 

In  front  of  the  captain  was  a  white  circular  disk, 
about  a  foot  in  diameter,  something  like  a  large 
aneroid  barometer.  Figures  went  round  its  cir- 
cumference—  0,  5,  10,  15,  20,  etc.,  up  to  150. 
Through  the  centre  passed  a  pointer,  which,  at  the 
start,  marked  0.  This  was  part  of  a  contrivance  so 
connected  with  the  etherine  as  to  show  the  speed  of 
the  mote  in  miles  a  minute.  When  the  sounder  called 
out  fifteen  miles  high,  the  pointer  had  got  more  than 
half-way  from  0  to  5,  and  was  making  visible  prog- 
ress towards  the  latter  figure  every  minute. 

The  rush  of  the  mote  through  the  air  could  be 
heard.  The  sound  increased  to  that  of  a  strong  gale, 
then  slowly  changed  to  the  roar  of  Niagara. 

"  Twenty  miles  1"  said  the  sounder.  .  The  pointer 
125 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

was  nearly  at  5.  The  roar  was  diminished  in  vol- 
ume, but  taking  a  higher  key-note. 

"  Twenty-five  miles !" 

"  I  see  the  stars,"  said  the  lookout.  "  The  sky  is 
as  black  as  night." 

But  the  row  of  circles  made  by  the  shining  sun 
still  illuminated  the  interior,  so  that  they  could  see 
as  if  by  a  row  of  electric  lights.  The  roar  of  the  cata- 
ract was  rapidly  changing  to  the  base  note  of  an  or- 
gan-pipe. Soon  the-  pointer  had  passed  5  and  was 
hopefully  on  its  way  towards  10. 

Up  to  the  present  time  the  mote  kept  the  same 
inclination  with  which  it  was  started — that  is,  its 
prow  was  so  much  higher  than  the  stern  that  to  go 
towards  it  was  like  climbing  a  steep  hill.  One  had 
to  hold  on  to  the  seats  on  each  side.  The  object  of 
this  inclination  was  that  her  motion  through  the 
air  might  be  end  on,  so  that  the  resistance  should 
be  the  least  possible.  Now  the  air  had  got  so  thin 
that  its  resistance  was  of  little  account.  So  Rogers 
called  on  the  lookout  to  come  and  help  him  operate 
the  machinery  by  which  the  mote  was  to  be  brought 
to  a  horizontal  position.  This  was  worked  by  a 
double  crank,  of  which  both  men  took  hold.  Two 
minutes'  pretty  hard  turning  of  the  crank  brought 
the  mote  into  the  required  position,  so  that  one  could 
walk  on  a  level  from  end  to  end. 

"Thirty  miles!" 

The  voice  of  the  sounder  had  a  metallic  sound,  as 
though  coming  from  a  throat  of  brass.  The  tone  of 

126 


A   Voyage    Through    Space 

the  organ  was  changing  to  a  musical  note  of  a  high 
pitch,  growing  higher  and  yet  feebler  every  moment. 

Rogers  went  to  the  nearest  window,  put  his  face 
close  to  the  glass,  and  peered  out.  The  sky  was 
blacker  than  night,  and,  though  the  sun  was  shining 
brighter  than  ever,  the  constellations  all  sparkled 
as  he  had  never  seen  them  sparkle  before.  The 
number  of  the  stars  seemed  countless.  The  horizon 
was  not  that  of  the  sea ;  it  was  a  foggy  white  border 
to  a  sky  below.  For  now  there  did  seem  to  be  a 
sky  below.  It  was  of  a  dark  blue,  almost  black  tint, 
over  which,  scattered  here  and  there,  were  bright 
clouds,  thirty  or  forty  miles  below,  and  increasing 
their  distance  every  moment.  This  blue-black  sky 
was  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  Some  bright  patches  near 
the  horizon,  less  bright,  however,  than  the  clouds, 
were  the  Bermuda  Islands. 

"Forty  miles!" 

Notwithstanding  that  the  pointer  was  now  well 
past  10  and  still  advancing,  the  sound  of  passing 
through  the  air  had  completely  died  away,  and  a 
silence  the  like  of  which  man  had  never  before 
known  took  its  place.  By  each  of  the  voyagers, 
not  only  the  beating  of  his  heart,  but  the  pulsations 
of  the  blood  through  his  arteries,  its  coursing 
through  the  veins  of  his  head,  the  contraction  and  ex- 
pansion of  his  chest,  the  inspiration  and  expiration 
of  air  from  his  lungs,  were  all  heard  with  startling 
distinctness.  They  dared  not  speak  much  above 
whispers,  for  when  they  did  the  brazen  ring  of  their 

127 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

throats  was  frightful.  The  sky  was  black  as  ink, 
and  the  illuminated  circles  of  the  sunshine  filled 
the  interior  of  the  mote  with  a  light  so  blue  that 
their  faces  looked  to  one  another  like  those  of  corpses. 
A  superstitious  dread  nearly  overcame  the  sounder 
and  the  lookout ;  and  the  captain,  to  whom,  as  a  train- 
ed physicist,  the  reason  of  the  singular  phenomena 
was  clear,  required  all  his  nerve  to  keep  up.  They 
were  now,  to  all  appearance,  above  the  atmosphere, 
with  nothing  about  them  but  the  pure  ether  of  in- 
finite space. 

"Fifty  miles!" 

"  We  must  be  completely  above  the  upper  limit 
of  the  atmosphere,"  said  Rogers.  "  I  think  it  will 
be  safe  to  put  on  speed." 

And  they  were  already  going  fifteen  miles  a  min- 
ute, leaving  a  mile  behind  them  every  four  beats 
of  the  clock!  There  seemed  to  be  two  men  within 
the  captain,  of  very  different  sentiments.  One  was 
filled  with  speechless  dread  at  the  awful  situation  in 
which  they  were  placed,  and  the  yet  more  awful  one 
into  which  they  were  running.  The  other  was  cool, 
collected,  and  fearless,  so  much  the  stronger  of  the 
two  that  he  had  his  frightened  companion  complete- 
ly at  his  mercy.  The  strong  man  reached  for  a  le- 
ver which  had  been  set  and  clamped  when  first  they 
started,  and  had  remained  untouched.  He  un- 
clamped  it,  slowly  turned  it,  and  again  clamped  it. 
All  felt  the  mote  spring  forward  like  a  fiery  horse 
when  his  driver  has  touched  him  with  a  whip.  Then. 

128 


A   Voyage   Through    Space 

a  singular  change  was  felt.  The  prow  seemed  to 
have  risen  up  into  the  same  position  as  when  they 
started.  All  had  to  hold  on  to  keep  from  falling 
down  into  the  stern.  Kogers  looked  through  the 
window.  The  horizon,  now  nearly  a  thousand  miles 
away,  had  in  appearance  the  same  inclination  as  the 
mote.  The  earth  and  the  ocean  far  below  were  tipped 
up  as  if  by  some  cosmic  convulsion. 

The  explanation -was  evident  to  his  trained  mind 
in  a  moment.  The  speed  of  the  mote  was  being  con- 
stantly accelerated ;  and  this  had  a  tendency  to  force 
everything  towards  the  stern,  and  thus  change  the 
apparent  direction  of  gravity.  He  called  to  the 
lookout  to  come  again  to  the  crank.  A  few  more 
turns  brought  the  mote  once  more  into  what  seemed 
a  horizontal  position,  though,  in  reality,  the  stern 
was  now  higher  than  the  prow. 

"  Seventy  miles  1" 

"  I  shall  keep  her  at  about  that  height,"  said  the 
captain.  "  Let  me  know  when  she  deviates."  He 
took  hold  of  a  lever  which  regulated  the  height,  and 
set  it  at  0. 

!N"ow  for  fifteen  minutes  they  seemed  immovable. 
"Not  a  quiver  was  felt.  And  yet  the  magic  pointer  was 
seen  slowly  creeping  round.  It  passed  20,  then  30, 
more  than  keeping  pace  with  the  passing  minutes. 
90  was  at  length  passed,  100  would  soon  be 
reached.  The  captain  felt  that  the  speed  had  reach- 
ed if  not  passed  the  prudent  limit,  so  he  again  un- 
damped the  speed  lever  and  set  it  at  0. 
i  129 


His  Wisdom  the   Defender 

There  was  again  a  shock,  but  this  time  in  the  re- 
verse direction.  The  mote  seemed  to  jump  back- 
ward, and  her  prow  to  fall  with  a  suddenness  that 
alarmed  them  all.  In  fact,  the  prow  had  really  been 
down  all  the  time,  but  they  only  felt  it  when  the 
elevation  ceased  to  increase  and  the  speed  became 
uniform.  The  two  men  again  turned  the  crank,  now 
in  the  reverse  direction,  and  the  mote  was  again 
brought  into  a  horizontal  position. 

So  complete  became  the  stillness  that  all  motion 
seemed  to  have  ceased.  The  men  felt  as  if  afloat 
in  the  ether.  But  when  they  watched  the  clouds 
and  ocean  seventy  miles  below,  the  latter  seemed  to 
be  slowly  moving  under  them,  passing  behind,  and 
disappearing  one  by  one  at  the  horizon.  More  than 
an  hour  passed  thus.  A  gray  streak  was  seen  com- 
ing out  of  the  horizon  ahead.  It  was  the  island 
of  St.  Helena. 

"  Sixty-five  miles !"  said  the  sounder.  "  We  seem 
to  be  getting  lower." 

A  squad  of  soldiers  at  St.  Helena  noticed  one  of 
their  number  looking  up  at  the  sky. 

"  What  are  you  gazing  at  ?" 

"  In  the  name  of  all  that's  holy,  what's  that  up 
there?" 

A  sergeant,  more  intelligent  than  the  rest,  saw  the 
men  gazing,  and  looked  up  also. 

"  I'm  blessed  if  there's  not  a  comet — in  broad  day- 
light, too !  Did  you  ever  hear  of  such  a  thing  ?" 

130 


A   Voyage  Through   Space 

Soon  the  whole  garrison,  commissioned  officers  in- 
cluded, were  gazing  at  the  strange  sight. 

"  It  must  be  moving,"  said  the  sergeant.  "  When 
I  first  saw  it  it  was  right  over  Simmons's  Rocks. 
Now  it's  over  the  guard-house." 

He  was  right.  It  seemed  to  keep  slowly  on,  then 
grow  smaller,  and  finally  disappear  from  view  en- 
tirely. One  of  the  officers  proceeded  immediately 
to  write  an  account  of  this  strange  comet  or  meteor 
— he  could  not  tell  which — and  send  it  to  a  scien- 
tific journal.  But  he  did  not  know  that  there  were 
three  human  beings  inside  the  comet.  He  could  only 
tell  how  it  was  first  seen  in  the  southwest,  almost 
forty-five  degrees  above  the  horizon,  and  had  a  tail 
half  a  degree  long.  Indeed,  this  tail  was  all  that 
was  visible.  It  moved  slowly  towards  the  south,  in- 
creasing its  altitude,  and  in  five  or  ten  minutes  faded 
away  from  view. 

Let  us  return  to  the  men  inside  the  mote.  When 
the  captain  heard  the  announcement,  "  Sixty-five 
miles,"  he  gently  drew  down  the  elevating  lever  to 
check  the  fall.  The  lookout  happened,  while  this 
was  being  done,  to  be  gazing  out  of  the  stern  win- 
dow. 

"  We  are  getting  down  towards  sixty,"  said  the 
sounder. 

The  captain  drew  the  lever  yet  farther  down,  and 
clamped  it  As  he  did  so  the  lookout  exclaimed : 

"  Do  come  here !     What  does  this  mean  ?" 

"  What  is  it  ?"  said  the  captain,  as  he  hurried  aft 
131 


His   Wisdom   the  Defender 

"  A  big  ball  of  light  as  big  round  as  the  mote 
itself." 

The  captain  peered  anxiously  through  the  win- 
dow. Sure  enough,  there  was  a  round  sheet  of  yel- 
low light,  quite  bright  at  the  centre.  The  cause  was 
evident  in  a  moment.  The  atmosphere,  which  he 
had  been  taught  extended  only  to  a  height  of  forty- 
five  miles,  must  really  be  much  higher — over  sixty 
miles.  Darting  through  it  at  the  rate  of  a  hundred 
miles  a  minute,  rare  though  it  was,  it  was  burn- 
ing off  the  material  of  the  mote,  which  was  being 
left  behind  in  the  form  of  a  long  flame.  This 
flame  he  saw  end  on,  so  that  it  looked  like  a  round 
sheet  of  light.  It  was  bright  in  the  central  part, 
because  there  he  saw  the  light  through  its  whole 
length,  which  might  be  several  furlongs.  In  a  word, 
the  frail  vehicle  which  contained  them  was  a  shoot- 
ing-star ! 

Such  a  consciousness,  in  connection  with  the  gen- 
eral situation,  might  have  paralyzed  the  faculties  of 
an  ordinary  man.  But,  fortunately,  Rogers  was  not 
an  ordinary  man.  He  jumped  like  a  tiger  over  the 
space  that  separated  him  from  his  station  and  pulled 
the  elevating  lever  to  its  lowest  limit.  They  felt 
the  mote  take  an  upward  bound;  in  two  or  three 
minutes  the  sounder  called  "  Sixty-five  miles,"  then 
"Seventy"  and  "Seventy-five."  Before  this  the 
flame  had  disappeared,  and  probably  the  danger  was 
past.  But  there  was  still  room  for  anxiety.  How  much 
of  the  walls  of  the  mote  had  been  burned  away,  it  was 

132 


A  Voyage    Throifgh    Space 

impossible  to  conjecture  until  a  landing  should  be 
effected.  Worse  yet,  who  knew  but  the  burning 
might  still  be  going  on,  but  too  slowly  to  be  per- 
ceived ?  Not  till  one  hundred  miles  was-  announced 
did  he  dare  to  stop  the  upward  flight. 

After  a  half-hour  of  suspense  the  coast  of  South 
Africa  was  seen  rising  out  of  the  horizon.  The  speed 
was  gently  slackened,  and  the  mote  at  length  brought 
to  rest  at  a  point,  as  near  as  could  be  judged,  above 
Cape  Town. 

Now  came  the  greatest  trial  of  the  nerves,  the 
fall  through  the  eighty  miles  which  separated  them 
from  the  earth.  True,  the  arrangements  for  com- 
manding the  motion  were  so  carefully  devised  that 
there  was  no  real  danger.  But  who  could  feel  safe 
when  falling,  falling,  mile  after  mile?  Whatever 
the  feeling,  it  had  to  be  done.  The  elevating  lever 
was  raised,  and  all  felt  the  floor  falling  from  under 
them.  The  sensation  of  falling  continued,  whereas 
in  the  previous  experiences  there  was  no  sensation 
of  motion  except  for  a  few  moments  at  a  time  after 
a  sudden  adjustment  of  some  lever.  Now,  how- 
ever, the  continuance  of  the  sensation  produced  an 
attack  of  nausea,  quite  like  that  which  our  ancestors 
had  to  suffer  in  crossing  the  ocean,  and  which  they 
therefore  called  "  sea-sickness."  Eogers  returned  the 
lever  to  the  zero  point  when  a  minute  had  elapsed, 
but  the  stomach  of  the  lookout  went  through  a  gym- 
nastic performance  of  a  very  disagreeable  kind.  Al- 
though the  falling  sensation  now  disappeared,  they 

133 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

were  really  approaching  the  earth  at  the  rate  of  a 
thousand  feet  a  second,  and  the  sounder  went  through 
his  calls,  "  Sixty-five  miles,"  "  Sixty  miles,"  and  so 
on,  in  regular  succession. 

"  Forty  miles,"  said  the  sounder. 

Now  a  gentle  wind  began  to  be  heard.  It  was 
caused  by  the  rush  through  the  air.  The  lever  was 
depressed  in  order  to  diminish  the  speed  of  the  drop. 
The  effect  was  to  make  them  feel  as  if  a  sudden  ad- 
dition of  thirty  pounds  had  been  made  to  their 
weight,  and  to  bring  on  a  return  of  the  nausea.  But 
the  lever  was  turned  back  a  little  by  the  watchful 
captain  as  he  saw  that  the  speed  of  the  drop  had  been 
brought  within  a  safe  limit. 

But  how  was  he  to  know  how  heavily  he  might 
strike  the  earth  so  long  as  he  was  hermetically  sealed 
in  the  mote  ?  On  each  side  of  the  latter,  below  one 
of  the  windows,  a  small  tube  projected,  through 
which  a  little  air-vane  could  be  pushed.  A  simple 
contrivance  enabled  the  speed  of  the  fall  to  be  seen 
at  any  moment  by  the  motion  of  this  vane. 

In  due  time  the*  mote  touched  ground  at  a  point 
just  east  of  the  limits  of  Cape  Town.  Then,  for  the 
first  time  since  he  started,  it  occurred  to  the  captain 
to  note  the  time  by  the  chronometer  that  had  been 
ticking  alongside  of  his  station  during  the  entire 
journey.  It  read  9.50.  He  had  arisen  from  the 
ground  at  6.45.  The  entire  journey  had  therefore 
occupied  little  over  three  hours. 

The  uppermost  question  now  in  his  mind  was  how 
134 


A   Voyage   Through   Space 

much  the  mote  had  suffered  during  the  few  minutes 
that  it  had  been  playing  the  part  of  a  meteor.  The 
exit  was  opened.  He  got  into  the  sliding-tube,  was 
pushed  out,  and,  springing  to  his  feet,  began  inspect- 
ing the  mote,  heedless  of  the  crowd  that  was  gather- 
ing around.  At  the  first  glance  he  was  thunder- 
struck. She  was  white  when  they  started;  now  she 
was  black  as  coal  from  end  to  end,  except  on  the  hem- 
ispherical stern.  Not  only  had  the  paint  been  com- 
pletely swept  or  burned  away,  but  the  wooden  casing 
beneath  it  was  charred  over  its  whole  surface.  On 
scraping  the  surface  it  was  found  that  the  charring 
was  less  than  an  eighth  of  an  inch  deep,  even  around 
the  bow,  which  must  have  suffered  most.  Below  this 
the  oak  casing,  an  inch  thick,  was  quite  intact,  and 
as  hard  as  ever. 

Relieved  by  this  discovery  the  captain  consulted 
with  his  two  assistants  as  to  what  had  better  be  done. 

"  Count  me  out,  whatever  you  do,"  said  the  sound- 
er, who  had  borne  what  was  really  the  most  trying 
duty  of  the  three,  that  of  sitting  constantly  at  his 
post  while  the  most  exciting  experiences  were  going 
on.  "  The  mote  may  rest  here  and  rot,  so  far  as 
I  am  concerned.  I  am  going  back  by  the  ocean,  even 
if  it  takes  a  month." 

The  captain  proposed  that,  before  reaching  a  de- 
cision, they  should  lunch.  They  had  only  taken 
a  bite  since  starting,  and  their  minds  had  been  so 
much  occupied  during  the  passage  that  the  wants  of 
their  stomachs  had  been  unfelt.  There  was  a  supply 

135 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

of  food  and  drink  in  the  mote,  but  it  seemed  best  to 
leave  this  intact,  and  go  to  the  nearest  restaurant 
for  breakfast.  His  two  assistants  went  first,  guided 
by  the  crowd,  while  he  kept  guard  over  the  Golden 
Age,  now  minus  its  name,  during  their  absence. 
They  were  asked  to  send  him  a  pot  of  coffee  and 
lunch  from  the  restaurant. 

I  need  not  describe  the  scenes  around  him  while 
he  was  waiting.  He  had,  of  course,  to  talk  with  re- 
porters the  whole  time.  He  had  humor  enough  in 
his  composition  to  talk  of  his  journey  as  if  it  were 
a  very  commonplace  affair,  and  to  affect  wonder  at 
their  interest  in  it.  He  talked  of  sixty,  seventy, 
or  ninety  miles  a  minute,  much  as  a  railway  engineer 
of  the  time  would  have  talked  of  sixty,  seventy,  or 
ninety  miles  an  hour.  Only  one  little  word  was 
changed ;  why  wonder  so  ?  As  he  was  taking  his  cof- 
fee, which  he  did  astride  of  the  entering-tube,  with 
a  plank  thrown  across  it  as  a  table,  his  humor  and 
his  inability  to  see  why  his  arrival  caused  so  much 
interest  and  commotion  both  increased.  To  ques- 
tions what  he  would  do  and  where  he  would  go 
next,  he  replied  that  he  must  get  home  to  dinner. 
"  My  wife  "  (an  imaginary  quantity,  as  our  readers 
know)  "  is  very  precise  in  her  household  arrange- 
ments and  always  complains  if  I  am  late  to  meals. 
However "  (looking  at  his  watch),  "  it  is  hardly 
eleven  o'clock  by  our  time,  and  I  intend  to  take  a  spin 
round  the  south  pole  on  my  way  home.  If  I  then 
find  that  I  have  time,  I  shall  also  take  a  look  at  the 
.  136 


A   Voyage   Through    Space 

Pacific  Ocean,  and  make  a  little  run  over  the  north 
pole  during  the  afternoon.  I  would  return  by  way 
of  Australia  and  China;  but  just  now  it  is  night  in 
China,  and  we  should  suffer  from  the  cold." 

"  But  you  don't  mean  that  you  can  visit  both  poles 
the  same  day,  or  reach  China  before  the  sun  rises 
there?" 

"  Why  not  ?  I  can  go  where  I  please  as  long  as 
I  am  back  to  dinner.  You  have  learned  geography, 
and  know  that  it  is  only  twenty-five  thousand  miles 
round  the  world.  Running  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  miles  a  minute,  you  can  soon  cipher  out  that 
I  have  plenty  of  time  to  get  round  the  world,  and 
wash  and  dress  before  six  o'clock." 

All  this  talk  was  recorded  by  nimble  pencils  as  it 
advanced,  and  immediately  cabled  to  the  leading 
journals  of  the  world,  with  results  that  we  shall  see 
in  the  next  chapter. 

A  good  breakfast  and  a  sight  of  the  wondering 
crowd,  which  now  included  almost  every  inhabitant 
of  Cape  Town  old  enough  to  walk  and  well  enough 
to  leave  his  bed,  had  a  wonderful  effect  on  the  sound- 
er. He  had  heard  some  of  the  captain's  talk,  and 
felt  ashamed  that  he  should  have  to  say,  "  We  cannot 
move,  after  all,  because  one  of  my  assistants  is  afraid 
to  return."  So  he  agreed  to  try  again,  if  only  he 
could  be  relieved  by  the  lookout  during  a  part  of 
the  run — change  places  with  him,  in  fact,  from  time 
to  time.  As  Campbell  had  taken  the  precaution  to 
have  each  of  the  three  men  trained  in  the  duties 

137 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

of  the  two  others,  so  that  the  mote  would  not  be  crip- 
pled by  any  disability  of  either  during  the  run,  the 
proposed  arrangement  was  readily  acceded  to  by 
the  captain. 

The  latter  had  telegraphed  his  arrival  to  the  Owner 
as  soon  as  possible  after  landing,  and  now  made 
preparations  for  continuing  his  journey.  We  spare 
our  readers  the  details  of  the  start.  The  curiosity 
with  which  the  crowd  watched  the  three  men  as  they 
lay  down  one  by  one  in  the  entering-tube  and  were 
pushed  or  drawn  in  by  the  others,  their  amazement 
when  they  saw  the  forward  end  of  the  huge  vehicle 
raise  itself  up  as  if  alive  and  turn  round  so  as  to 
point  towards  the  south,  and  their  bewilderment 
when  it  darted  away,  all  go  without  saying.  It  was 
now  by  the  local  time  four  P.M.,  though  the  chro- 
nometer in  the  mote  only  marked  eleven. 

The  experiences  of  the  voyagers  were,  for  the  most 
part,  so  like  those  of  the  outward  journey  that  we  need 
not  detail  them.  Extracts  from  the  captain's  log, 
which  he  now  kept  and  embodied  in  his  report,  will 
show  the  salient  features  of  the  trip : 

11.30. — Height,  twenty  miles.     Speed,  moderate. 

11.40. — Height,  forty  miles.  Begin  to  put  on 
speed. 

12. — Height,  one  hundred  miles.  Have  driven 
speed  nearly  up  to  its  limit — one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-five miles  a  minute.  Deem  this  quite  safe  so  long 
as  the  height  is  maintained.  Keep  up  a  good  look- 
out for  any  sign  of  meteoric  combustion. 

138 


A   Voyage    Through    Space 

12.5. — A  bright  line  of  white  on  the  south  hori- 
zon. The  Antarctic  ice. 

12.15. — All  below  is  dark.  The  sun  is  shining  on 
the  horizon  only.  Curving  course  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible for  speedy  return  to  sunlight  after  passing  pole. 
Continuous  observations  of  zenith  tube  kept  up. 

12.18. — Passing  south  pole;  height  one  hundred 
and  ten  miles;  speed  one  hundred  and  twenty-two. 
All  is  now  darkness,  except  an  illumination  of  the 
horizon  in  the  direction  where  the  sun  has  set.  Di- 
rection of  passage,  from  meridian  10  degrees  east 
of  Greenwich  to  170  degrees  west.  Course  still  curv- 
ing, so  as  to  reach  160th  meridian,  where  sunlight 
will  be  reached. 

12.22. — Sun  rising,  but  all  is  darkness  above 
and  below.  Now  curving  course  towards  the  west, 
so  as  to  run  as  nearly  as  possible  on  the  160th  me- 
ridian. 

12.40. — A  curious  spectacle.  On  the  left  all  is 
darkness ;  on  the  right  the  clouds  below  are  brightly 
illuminated  by  the  sun.  They  almost  cover  the 
ocean,  which  can  be  seen  only  in  black  patches.  The 
silence  is  complete  and  awful.  The  mote  runs  itself, 
except  as  the  elevating  lever  has  to  be  touched  from 
time  to  time  to  regulate  her  height.  Do  not  deem 
it  safe  to  fall  below  one  hundred  miles. 

12.50. — Clouds  below  getting  thinner,  so  that  the 
dark  ocean  is  seen  between  them. 

1.30. — The  Sandwich  Islands  are  sighted  by  the 
lookout.  Must  curve  towards  west,  so  as  to  take  an 

139 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

S-shaped  course  to  the  north  pole,  and  not  get  into 
darkness  after  passing  it. 

1.50. — Passed  the  Aleutian  Islands  and  Bering 
Strait. 

2.7. — Passed  over  the  north  pole,  now  running 
on  a  meridian  15  degrees  east. 

2.25. — Over  the  Baltic  Sea.  Slowing  down  and 
making  a  sharp  curve  to  west  to  pass  over  London. 

2.36. — Speed,  eighty;  height,  one  hundred  and 
five. 

2.45. — Speed,  thirty;  height,  seventy. 

2.50. — Speed,  twenty;  height,  forty. 

3. — Speed,  twelve;  height,  thirty. 

Getting  dark;  twilight  below;  England  in  sight. 
Preparing  to  throw  out  papers. 

3.10. — During  the  last  five  minutes  supposed  to 
be  passing  over  London;  throwing  out  papers; 
cost  some  air;  barometer  reduced  two  inches,  one 
inch  of  which  will  be  made  up  by  oxygen  from  tubes. 
Shall  now  start  on  the  home  stretch. 

3.25. — Height,  thirty-five;  speed,  twenty. 

3.50. — Height,  ninety-five;  speed,  ninety.  Ireland 
seen  far  behind  in  the  light  of  the  setting  sun. 

3.53. — Losing  sight  of  Ireland. 

4.10. — Lookout  reports  patch  of  land  ahead — 
Newfoundland. 

4.30. — Over  the  Nova  Scotia  coast,  Massachusetts 
Bay  coming  into  sight.  Put  on  the  speed-break 
with  as  great  force  as  is  prudent.  Can  hear  the 
joints  squeak  under  the  pressure. 

^40 


A   Voyage    Through    Space 

At  this  point  the  log  suddenly  ceases.  The  report 
of  the  captain  tells  us  why : 

"  A  few  minutes,  not  more  than  three  or  four, 
after  putting  on  the  hrake-lever  to  stop  the  mote,  we 
were  startled  by  what  we  all  supposed  to  be  a  flash 
of  lightning,  accompanied  by  a  single  crack  of  thun- 
der so  sharp  that  I  felt  it  as  a  slap  in  the  face,  and, 
for  a  moment,  thought  I  was  deafened.  At  first 
none  of  us  supposed  it  to  be  anything  else  than  an 
electric  discharge,  probably  caused  by  the  rapid 
thermalization  of  the  etherine  which  was  now  going 
on  through  the  loss  of  kinetic  energy  by  the  mote. 
Soon  a  faint  whistling  sound  was  heard,  the  origin 
of  which  was  obscure.  After  some  examination  to 
learn  whence  it  proceeded,  I  found  that  it  came  from 
a  minute  hole  in  the  wall  of  the  mote,  about  two  or 
three  millimetres  (one  -  eighth  to  one  -  twelfth  of  an 
inch)  in  diameter.  As  this  hole  seemed  quite  dark  on 
looking  into  it,  I  supposed  at  first  that  it  was  a  shal- 
low one,  which  some  workman  had  bored  by  mistake. 
Yet,  when  I  put  my  finger  over  it  the  whistling 
ceased,  showing  that  air  was  escaping  through  it 
Further  examination  showed  that  it  passed  in  a 
straight  line  quite  through  the  metallic  wall  of  the 
mote  and  the  wooden  sheathing,  looking  dark  only 
because  of  the  blackness  of  the  sky  outside.  Putting 
my  eye  near  it,  I  could  see  a  star  through  it.  I  whit- 
tled a  piece  from  a  stick  of  wood  and  plugged  up  the 
hole. 

"  Then  we  noticed  that  the  sound  had  not  quite 
141 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

ceased,  and  soon  found  a  similar  hole  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  mote,  which  was  also  plugged  up.  The 
holes  were  so  small  that  the  escape  of  air  was  too 
slight  to  cause  trouble." 

The  report  then  goes  on  to  explain  how,  forgetting 
that  a  himote  at  full  speed  would  run  a  thousand 
miles  before  she  could  be  brought  to  a  standstill,  the 
captain  had  omitted  to  put  on  the  brake  till  he  was 
over  the  coast  of  Nova  Scotia.  In  consequence  they 
were  carried  to  the  southwestern  part  of  Virginia  be- 
fore they  could  stop. 

After  hearing  of  the  departure  of  the  Golden  Age 
from  Cape  Town  for  home,  Campbell  looked  for  her 
return  with  the  greatest  solicitude.  The  mishap  by 
which  her  name  had  been  swept  away,  and  her  color 
changed  from  white  to  black,  which  had  been  tele- 
graphed to  all  the  world,  made  him  feel  that  Rogers 
had  been  imprudent  in  venturing  to  return  after  so 
slight  an  examination  of  the  damage  as  he  could 
make.  Great,  therefore,  was  his  relief  when,  a  little 
after  five  o'clock,  an  object  was  sighted  in  the  sky 
which  could  be  no  other  than  the  mote  so  anxiously 
awaited.  She  landed  without  further  accident,  and 
all  was  safe. 

Campbell's  scientific  commission  had  no  difficulty 
in  demonstrating  the  cause  of  the  strange  stroke 
which  the  Golden  Age  had  received.  "  It  is  well 
known  that  shooting-stars  are  caused  by  minute 
bodies  flying  through  space  at  the  rate  of  twenty, 
thirty,  or  even  forty  miles  a  second.  Though  no 

142 


A  Voyage  Through   Space 

larger  than  a  pebble,  one  of  these  bodies,  striking 
a  plate  of  metal,  would  bore  a  hole  through  it  as  a 
bullet  would  go  through  a  plank.  As  they  actually 
strike  our  air,  they  first  pass  through  many  miles 
of  the  rarest  air  of  the  upper  regions,  and  are  thus 
dissipated  before  reaching  the  dense  air  below.  But, 
on  passing  through  the  side  of  the  mote,  the  meteor 
instantly  encountered  the  dense  air  within,  where  its 
high  speed  cleaved  the  air  like  a  stroke  of  lightning. 
We  find  that  the  two  holes  are  exactly  in  the  same 
line,  so  that  an  eye  outside  the  mote  looking  into  one 
can  see  quite  through  the  other  also." 


X 

How  the  World   Received  the   News 

TO  narrate  the  events  following  this  memorable 
20th  of  May  would  require  volumes.  In  fact, 
so  many  volumes  have  been  written  on  the 
subject  that  our  readers  would  not  be  interested  in 
the  repetition  of  the  details,  even  if  we  had  room 
for  them.  We  shall  confine  our  narrative  to  a  few 
leading  features  of  the  case,  personal  to  the  great 
actor,  to  which  publicity  has  not  yet  been  given. 

The  first  sentiment,  especially  in  Europe,  was  one 
of  combined  amazement  and  incredulity.  It  was 
late  in  the  evening  in  London  before  the  American 
correspondents  of  the  leading  journals  could  cable 
the  final  event.  The  newspapers  were  nearly  ready 
to  go  to  press,  and  there  was  little  time  for  comment. 
The  general  feeling  was  accurately  expressed  by  the 
London  Times,  which  commenced  a  leader  on  the  sub- 
ject in  the  following  way: 

"  Has  the  order  of  nature  changed  ?  Or  is  some 
demon  playing  with  the  Atlantic  cables,  sending  mes- 
sages in  both  directions  at  its  own  good  pleasure 
without  regard  to  the  signals  which  the  operators 

144 


How   the   World  Received   the  News 

are  making?  The  readers  who  peruse  our  columns 
this  morning  will  be  forced  to  the  conclusion  that 
one  of  these  questions  must  be  answered  in  the  affirm- 
ative. A  succession  of  despatches  which  have  the 
self-consistence  and  every  other  external  appearance 
of  truth  poured  in  with  the  signature  of  our  Wash- 
ington correspondent  during  the  afternoon  and  even- 
ing. The  general  press  despatches  were  equally  ex- 
plicit and  consistent.  All  told  the  same  story.  A 
thousand  people  assembled  to  witness  a  long-expect- 
ed event,  the  exact  nature  of  which  was  left  in  doubt. 
They  gazed  on  immense  structures  of  metal,  sixty 
feet  in  height,  hundreds  of  feet  in  length,  weighing 
thousands  of  tons.  These  structures  were  visited 
from  end  to  end  and  examined  inside  and  out  with- 
out the  discovery  of  any  source  of  power  or  any 
possible  means  of  setting  them  in  motion.  Suddenly 
one  of  them  rises  in  the  air,  ascends  to  the  height 
of  a  mile,  and  sweeps  in  a  vast  circuit  over  land  and 
water,  hill  and  dale,  carrying  hundreds  of  people 
with  it.  A  circle  nearly  two  hundred  miles  in  cir- 
cumference is  described  with  a  speed  far  exceeding 
that  of  the  swiftest  railway  train,  and  the  structure 
then  returns  and  settles  down  into  its  former  place 
without  the  slightest  evidence  that  it  had  ever  been 
moved. 

"  If  the  cable  is  conveying  real  intelligence,  our 
correspondent  was  himself  on  the  structure  and  was 
carried  round  with  it  in  its  aerial  course. 

"  That  such  a  story  could  be  anything  else  than  the 
K  145 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

outcome  of  some  widespread  hallucination  or  dis- 
eased imagination  few  will  be  disposed  to  believe. 
Are  all  the  cables,  then,  operated  by  demons  ?  Sev- 
eral despatches  of  inquiry  sent  by  us  over  two  differ- 
ent cables  to  our  correspondents  were  promptly  an- 
swered in  such  a  way  as  to  show  that  they  must 
have  been  correctly  understood  by  the  agency  answer- 
ing them.  All  our  expressions  of  surprise  and  incre- 
dulity found  an  answering  response  from  the  other 
end  of  the  wire." 

*          ****** 

These  words  well  expressed  the  feeling  of  that 
small  portion  of  the  people  who  were  up  till  mid- 
night and  in  receipt  of  the  news.  The  great  ma- 
jority had  retired  to  bed  after  hearing  vague  rumors 
that  something  of  a  very  unusual  nature  was  trans- 
piring on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac.  They  would 
naturally  wait  for  their  morning  papers  to  see  what 
it  was  all  about. 

But  before  people  had  finished  breakfast  the  morn- 
ing papers  were  behind  the  age.  About  one-half  the 
directors  of  the  Atlantic  cable  companies  had  spent 
the  last  hours  of  the  night  in  the  telegraph  offices,  or 
at  the  cable  landings  when  they  could  be  reached,  to 
see  if  any  signs  of  the  cables  being  bewitched,  other 
than  the  extraordinary  statements  they  were  carry- 
ing, could  be  discovered.  By  morning  they  received 
messages  in  such  number  and  of  such  consistency 
that  further  doubt  seemed  scarcely  possible.  All 
day  the  newspapers  kept  issuing  an  unbroken  stream 

146 


How   the  World  Received   the  News 

of  extras,  without  being  able  to  supply  the  great 
demand. 

Of  course,  when  Parliament  met  in  the  afternoon 
his  Majesty's  government  was  overwhelmed  with 
inquiries  as  to  what  had  happened.  Much  cha- 
grin was  expressed  when  members  had  to  be  informed 
that  the  government  was  without  any  important 
information  not  already  found  in  the  public  prints, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  his  Majesty's  ambassador  in 
Washington  had  been  otherwise  engaged  during  the 
reported  event.  The  ambassador  had  been  constant- 
ly telegraphing  all  the  morning,  but  his  despatches 
were  based  entirely  on  the  reports  of  the  news-gather- 
ers, without  adding  anything  new.  They  only  con- 
firmed the  truth  of  these  reports  by  showing  that  he 
saw  no  reason  to  doubt  them. 

Scarcely  had  this  been  said  when  new  fuel  was 
added  to  the  flame  by  the  reported  arrival  of  the 
Golden  Age  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  with  the 
story  of  its  captain  and  crew  that  they  had  left 
Campbelltown  that  morning,  and  had  made  the  pas- 
sage in  three  hours.  The  first  effect  of  this  news 
was  to  renew  the  suspicions  of  some  demoniac  illu- 
sion, because  it  seemed  to  involve,  if  possible,  some- 
thing yet  further  beyond  the  bounds  of  credibility 
than  the  sweeping  of  the  Hesperm  through  the  air. 
Among  the  scores  of  scientific  experts  interviewed 
was  Professor  Gale,  of  the  University  of  London, 
the  leading  physicist  of  England.  He  said: 

"  Accepting  the  laws  of  nature  as  they  have  always 
147 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

operated  from  the  beginning  of  time,  what  is  re- 
ported is  a  simple  impossibility.  From  the  Potomac 
to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  is  some  TOGO  miles. 
A  very  simple  calculation  will  show  that  to  make  this 
distance  in  three  hours  a  speed  of  more  than  3300 
feet  per  second  would  have  to  be  maintained.  An 
object  like  that  described  going  through  the  air  at 
such  a  speed  would  be  heated  red-hot  during  the 
first  half-hour,  and  would  be  completely  dissipated 
— burned  up,  so  to  say — by  the  friction  of  the  air 
during  the  next  half -hour." 

"  The  report  says  the  mote  was  completely  black- 
ened and  had  all  her  paint  swept  away,"  said  the 
reporter. 

"  I  can  hardly  regard  that  statement  in  any  other 
light  than  as  a  concession  to  plausibility,"  continued 
the  professor.  "  Just  think  of  the  absurdity.  The 
mere  air  pressure  would  have  been  a  thousand  tons 
or  more,  enough  to  sweep  away  any  possible  wooden 
casing  and  burst  in  the  end  of  the  mote.  And  where 
is  such  a  power  to  come  from  ?  Either,  as  the  Times 
said  this  morning,  the  order  of  nature  has  changed 
or  some  singular  deception  is  being  practised." 

We  do  not  wish  to  harrow  the  reader's  feelings, 
and  therefore  draw  a  veil  over  those  of  Professor 
Gale  when  it  dawned  upon  his  intellect  that  a  mote 
flying  above  the  air  would  evade  his  seemingly  in- 
superable objections,  and  that  one  which  could  rise  a 
foot  might  as  well  rise  a  hundred  miles.  In  fact, 
when  he  learned  the  truth  he  could  not  help  making 

148 


How  the  World  Received   the  News 

a  disadvantageous  comparison  of  his  own  wit  with 
that  of  a  French  lady  who,  when  told  that  some  de- 
capitated martyr  (I  forget  who)  had  picked  up 
his  own  head  and  carried  it  half  a  mile,  promptly 
replied :  "  C'est  le  premier  pas  qui  coute !" 

It  happened  that  Professor  Gale  had  a  colleague 
whose  intellect  bore  a  remarkable  resemblance  to 
that  of  Campbell.  He  was  not  only  one  of  the  most 
eminent  mathematicians  of  England,  but  in  his 
writings  were  found  the  profoundest  researches  that 
had  ever  been  published  in  the  hidden  realms  of  phi- 
losophy. When  he  first  heard  the  news  his  brain 
was  racked  to  imagine  how  such  a  thing  could  be. 
The  theory  which  he  thought  out  was  only  confirmed 
instead  of  being  shattered  by  the  news  from  the  Cape. 
It  was  set  forth  in  the  following  letter : 

"  To  the  Editor  of  the  Times: 

"  The  event  said  to  have  occurred  yesterday  on  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac  is  not  so  incredible  to  me  as 
it  appears  to  you.  It  is  only  its  suddenness  that 
makes  it  appear  so.  How  would  it  have  been  if 
neither  telegraph  nor  telephone  had  ever  been  known 
to  us  until  some  enterprising  expert  had  secretly 
stretched  wires  and  cables  under  land  and  sea  around 
the  globe,  perfected,  his  apparatus,  trained  his  oper- 
ators, and  then  asked  us  to  come  to  see  the  result? 
The  leading  men  of  the  empire  are  invited  to  the 
newly  founded  telegraph  and  telephone  office,  and 
the  King  himself  is  invited  to  step  to  the  'phone  and 

149 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

address  his  cousin  in  Berlin.  The  latter  answers  in 
a  clear  voice,  which  the  King  at  once  recognizes.  He 
carries  on  a  conversation.  Presently  a  ticking  is 
heard  and  a  printing-machine  begins  to  operate. 
The  distinguished  assembly  is  told  that  the  machine 
is  worked  by  an  operator  in  Australia. 

"  Would  one  of  those  present  cease  to  believe  that 
the  whole  affair  was  a  delusion  until  the  mechanism 
was  explained  to  him  ?  I  trow  not. 

"  Now  let  us  see  if  we  cannot  conceive  a  way  in 
which  the  results  reported  the  last  two  days  might- 
be  brought  about.  It  has  long  been  well  understood 
by  physicists  that  the  luminiferous  ether,  which,  so 
far  as  we  know,  fills  all  space,  has  the  properties  of 
an  elastic  solid,  clear  and  invisible,  like  an  abso- 
lutely transparent  crystal.  Why  matter  should  move 
through  this  solid  as  it  does,  without  encountering 
the  slightest  resistance,  is  a  mystery  which  fails  to 
strike  us  in  its  true  character  because  of  the  familiar- 
ity of  the  fact.  Professor  Campbell  announces  that 
he  has  succeeded  in  producing  a  kind  of  matter 
which  exerts  a  new  reaction  upon  the  ether  when 
made  to  vibrate  in  a  certain  way.  If  he  has  done  this, 
then  nothing  is  simpler  than  to  produce  the  result 
described.  A  mass  of  matter  of  this  kind  might 
be  made  to  fly  through  space,  carrying  any  burden 
whatever  as  lightly  and  easily  as  a  bird  flies  through 
the  air.  The  motion  may  be  swifter  than  that  of  a 
bird,  as  the  propagation  of  light  through  the  ether 
is  swifter  than  any  motions  we  see  on  the  earth. 

150 


How   the  World  Received   the  News 

These  considerations  lead  me  to  look  for  a  complete 
confirmation  of  everything  reported  by  your  cor- 
respondent, «  w  K  CoNSTANT.» 

The  excitement  in  the  business  world  on  both 
sides  of  the  Atlantic  beggared  description.  The  ex- 
changes and  brokers'  boards  were  everywhere  in  a 
state  of  such  wild  uproar  that  business  had  to  be  sus- 
pended as  a  measure  of  public  safety.  But  for  the 
assurance  given  by  Campbell  that  the  interests  of 
all  holders  of  stock  in  railways  and  other  transporta- 
tion companies  should  be  carefully  guarded,  a  vast 
amount  of  these  properties  would  have  been  sacri- 
ficed by  their  owners  in  a  moment.  The  form  of  the 
announcement  tended  to  discourage  sales,  because  he 
had  stated  that  only  original  holders  on  the  date  in 
question  could  look  to  him  for  aid. 

Campbell  had  been  planning  everything  for  years 
with  such  minute  attention  to  details  that  he  had 
little  to  do  but  select  the  men  who  were  to  act  and 
send  them  on  their  several  errands.  Sites  for  mote 
stations  had  already  been  purchased  in  the  principal 
cities,  and  two  weeks  had  not  elapsed  before  motes 
began  to  run  between  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Chi- 
cago, and  San  Francisco.  The  Hesperus  and  the 
Cynthia  were  designed  to  ply  between  New  York 
as  one  terminus  and  Paris  and  London  as  the  others. 
But,  foreseeing  the  temptation  to  which  governments 
might  be  exposed,  they  were  not  sent  on  their  first 
voyage  until  arrangements  could  be  made  with  the 

151 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

respective  governments  of  France  and  England  to 
guarantee  their  neutrality. 

The  mission  to  the  principal  nations  of  the  world 
foreshadowed  in  his  speech  at  the  banquet  was  organ- 
ized in  the  course  of  two  weeks.  The  principal  capi- 
tals of  Europe,  as  well  as  those  of  China  and  Japan, 
were  to  be  visited.  In  each  country  one  or  more 
citizens  learned  in  international  law  were  to  be  in- 
vited to  take  part  in  a  general  council  as  to  the  policy 
to  be  pursued  by  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  in  order  that 
the  beneficent  end  he  had  in  view  might  best  be  car- 
ried out.  These  gentlemen  were  expected  to  deliber- 
ate during  the  voyage  from  place  to  place,  and  upon 
their  conclusions  would  depend  to  a  certain  extent 
the  future  policy  of  the  Owner.  At  each  capi- 
tal a  personal  representative  of  the  Owner  was  sta- 
tioned, whose  business  it  was  to  establish  the  closest 
relations  both  with  the  government  and  with  com- 
mercial bodies  of  every  kind,  with  a  view  to  reporting 
on  public  feeling  as  to  the  policy  best  adapted  to 
each  country.  The  head  of  the  whole  expedition  was 
President  Winthrop,  who  had  been  selected  by 
Campbell  for  the  duty,  not  so  much  on  the  score  of 
friendship,  as  of  confidence  in  his  general  fitness 
for  the  work. 

A  somewhat  embarrassing  question  was  to  devise 
a  method  of  procedure  which  would  not  sacrifice 
Campbell's  independence  and  would  at  the  same  time 
not  ignore  the  functions  which  the  government  of  the 
United  States  might  legitimately  expect  to  assume 

152 


How   the  World  Received   the  News 

in  the  affair.  To  secure  the  latter  object,  a  formal 
letter  was  written  by  the  Owner  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  informing  him  of  the  purpose  and 
objects  of  the  expedition,  and  asking  that  special 
arrangements  for  its  visit  to  each  capital  should  be 
made  by  the  representative  of  the  United  States 
there  resident.  In  this  way  Mr.  Winthrop  was 
placed  in  direct  communication  with  each  American 
ambassador,  whom  he  apprised  of  his  intended  move- 
ments. 

The  mote  Friede  was  chosen  to  carry  the  party, 
doubtless  on  account  of  the  significance  of  its  name. 
It  left  on  the  morning  of  May  31.  Its  arrival  at 
London  next  day  was  looked  for  with  breathless  in- 
terest, not  unmixed  with  incredulity  and  fear.  A 
point  in  Hyde  Park  had  been  offered  the  American 
ambassador  by  the  British  government  as  a  place 
for  its  landing.  At  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  a 
black-looking  speck  was  sighted  in  the  clouds.  It 
speedily  grew  larger.  When  no  doubt  could  remain 
the  police  cleared  the  crowd  from  the  chosen  spot, 
and  the  large  object  slowly  and  majestically  descend- 
ed towards  the  ground.  The  American  ambassador 
was  on  the  spot  and  was  received  by  Winthrop  at 
the  door  of  the  mote.  Arrangements  were  soon 
made  for  a  visit  of  the  King,  pending  which  no  other 
visitors  would  be  received.  His  Majesty  was  duly 
advised  and  fixed  on  the  hour  of  five  o'clock  that 
afternoon.  Campbell  would  have  been  impatient  of 
the  delay;  but  Winthrop  was  well  enough  trained 

153 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

to  make  due  allowance  for  the  dignity  that  must 
hedge  the  person  and  movements  of  a  monarch.  At 
the  appointed  hour  the  King  and  his  suite  arrived, 
escorted  by  the  American  ambassador.  The  royal 
party  was  welcomed  by  Winthrop  at  the  door  of  the 
mote  and  taken  to  the  upper  deck.  Here  the  follow- 
ing address  was  made  to  the  King: 

"May  it  please  your  Majesty:  I  am  directed  by 
the  Owner  of  the  Motes  to  assure  your  Majesty  of  his 
high  appreciation  of  the  honor  done  him  by  this  visit. 
He  trusts  that  the  determination  he  has  expressed 
to  administer  his  extraordinary  powers  in  promoting 
the  welfare  of  the  entire  human  race  will  be  favored 
with  your  Majesty's  approval.  Animated  by  this 
motive,  he  has  deputed  an  able  and  distinguished  citi- 
zen of  the  United  States  to  reside  in  London  as  his 
personal  representative.  The  functions  of  this  rep- 
resentative will  be  to  invite  the  closest  relations  with 
representatives  of  British  interests,  and  acquaint 
himself  with  the  needs  of  commercial  bodies  and 
other  organizations,  in  order  that  he  may  report 
from  time  to  time  what  policy  and  what  measures 
on  the  part  of  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  will  be  most 
conducive  to  their  usefulness  as  an  agency  for  pro- 
moting the  welfare  of  your  Majesty's  subjects." 

The  King  was  quite  unprepared  for  so  formal  an 
address,  but  was  well  enough  trained  to  make  a  very 
brief  but  quite  proper  reply,  expressing  his  apprecia- 

154 


How   the  World  Received   the  News 

tion  of  the  sentiments  and  intentions  of  the  Owner 
of  the  Motes.  There  was  then  a  somewhat  embar- 
rassing pause.  The  King  was  naturally  interested  to 
see  the  distinguished  representative  alluded  to,  who 
was  to  fulfil  so  important  a  part  in  acquainting  him- 
self with  the  views  and  wishes  of  the  British  people. 
Mr.  Winthrop  and  the  citizen  himself  were  quite  de- 
sirous that  the  latter  should  be  presented  to  the  King. 
The  privilege  was  then  asked  of  presenting  him, 
which  was  accordingly  done. 

We  mention  this  proceeding  because  it  looked  so 
much  like  the  presentation  of  an  ambassador  from 
a  foreign  power  to  the  Court  of  St.  James.  It  look- 
ed a  little  that  way  to  the  American  ambassador  him- 
self:  while  the  procedure  was  so  adroitly  managed 
that  an  escape  from  the  conclusion  was  very  easy. 

One  great  and  indisputable  fact  had  begun  to 
dawn  on  the  minds  of  men.  The  motes  might  be 
new  and  terrible  engines  in  future  warfare.  As  this 
fact  became  more  and  more  evident,  it  caused  uni- 
versal alarm.  The  impossibility  of  defence  from 
an  attack  of  a  fleet  of  motes  was  felt  on  all  sides.  It 
was  clear  to  every  one  that  something  must  be  done 
to  guard  against  the  danger,  but  what  to  do  no  one 
knew. 

On  the  problem  thus  presented,  Americans,  as  rep- 
resented by  Mr.  Secretary  Bayne,  looked  with  less 
concern  than  others,  because  they  felt  that  the  motes 
belonged  to  their  country,  and  would  therefore  be 
used  for  no  purpose  antagonistic  to  its  own  interests. 

155 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

True,  this  view  of  the  case  was  a  little  weakened  by 
the  knowledge  that  several  hundred  of  these  vehicles 
were  in  the  course  of  construction  on  the  island  of 
Elba;  but,  although  this  island  was  still  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  Italy,  the  danger  was  minimized  by 
the  fact  that  the  motes  still  belonged  to  one  of 
their  own  citizens,  who  alone  would  be  likely 
to  control  them.  On  the  other  hand,  the  citizen  re- 
peatedly speaks  -of  himself  rather  as  a  citizen  of 
the  world  than  of  the  United  States.  What  will  be 
his  policy  as  regards  the  great  political  power  which 
he  wields? 

The  second  morning  following  the  arrival  of  the 
mote  in  London  and  the  ceremonies  we  have  de- 
scribed, a  messenger  arrived  at  Campbelltown  from 
the  Secretary  of  State,  bearing  the  following  note: 

"  STATE  DEPARTMENT,  June  11,  1945. 
"  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of 
State  to  say  that  he  will  esteem  it  a  very  great  favor 
to  have  you  call  on  him  at  your  earliest  convenience 
— this  afternoon  if  possible.  He  wishes  to  consult 
with  you  on  a  matter  of  the  highest  importance  both 
to  yourself  and  to'  our  government.  If  not  convenient 
to  come  this  afternoon,  please  state  the  time  of  your 
arrival  in  order  that  the  Secretary  may  arrange  his 
engagements  to  suit  your  convenience. 
"Very  respectfully, 

ff  JAMES  B.  SMYTHE, 

"  Private  Secretary." 
156 


How   the  World   Received   the  News 

An  answer  was  immediately  despatched  that  the 
Owner  of  the  Motes  would  call  on  the  Secretary  at 
three  o'clock  that  afternoon.  He  arrived  promptly 
on  the  hour  and  was  at  once  ushered  into  the  private 
office  of  the  Secretary,  whom  he  found  awaiting 
him. 

"  Mr.  Campbell,  I  have  requested  this  interview 
because  it  must  be  quite  evident  to  you  that  the  en- 
terprise you  are  inaugurating  has  an  interest  not 
attached  to  any  ordinary  affair,  since  it  concerns  not 
only  the  welfare  of  every  citizen  of  our  country,  but 
must  be  intimately  associated  with  the  international 
relations  of  nations,  our  own  included.  You  will, 
therefore,  see  that  it  is  a  part  of  the  duty  of  our  gov- 
ernment to  assure  itself  that  your  proceedings  shall 
not  either  imperil  its  relations  with  other  govern- 
ments, compromise  this  government,  or  prove  in  any- 
way detrimental  to  the  interests  of  our  country. 
Acting  on  these  considerations,  the  President  and  his 
advisers  have  been  deliberating  on  the  measures  to 
provide  against  any  evil  of  the  kind  to  which  I  have 
alluded.  Naturally  you  are  yourself  a  very  im- 
portant factor  in  any  arrangement  that  may  be  made. 
The  responsibility  which  you  have  assumed  is  fully 
recognized  by  all.  It  is  therefore  the  desire  of  the 
President  that  you  be  consulted  as  to  every  measure 
taken  and  duly  informed  of  all  that  may  be  done. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  is  expected  by  this  government 
that  you  will  with  equal  frankness  recognize  its  su- 
perior responsibility  in  the  case,  especially  its  re- 

157 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

sponsibility  to  foreign  nations  for  your  own  acts. 
I  must,  therefore,  ask  your  permission  to  make  some 
inquiries,  which  I  should  have  no  right  to  make  of 
an  ordinary  citizen,  as  to  your  future  policy  in  or- 
ganizing a  mote  service." 

"  Mr.  Secretary,  I  fully  recognize  the  propriety  of 
all  you  say.  I  shall  be  glad  to  answer  any  questions 
you  may  ask  so  far  as  I  am  able  so  to  do.  At  the 
same  time,  you  will  observe  that  it  would  not  be  a 
mark  of  the  highest  wisdom  on  my  part  to  reach  any 
absolute  conclusion  as  to  what  I  shall  or  shall  not 
do  in  advance  of  the  contingencies  that  may  arise. 
I  have  certain  great  things  in  view;  I  mentioned 
these  in  a  speech  at  a  banquet  which  I  regret  that 
you  were  unable  to  attend,  but  which  you  have  per- 
haps done  me  the  honor  to  read." 

"  I  have  done  so,  and  there  are  a  few  points  in  it 
about  which  I  wish  first  to  inquire.  You  spoke  of 
the  desirableness  that  the  organization  for  running 
the  motes  should  enjoy  a  position  of  political  inde- 
pendence. Will  you  kindly  explain  the  exact  mean- 
ing which  you  attach  to  that  phrase  ?" 

"  The  meaning  attached  to  the  phrase  seems  to 
me  as  clear  as  circumstances  permit  it  to  be.  It  must 
be  evident  to  you,  Mr.  Secretary,  that  the  control  of 
the  motes  carries  with  it  enormous  power,  the  power 
of  doing  not  only  a  good  heretofore  unknown,  but 
of  bringing  about  untold  miseries — in  a  word,  the 
power  which  controls  a  fleet  of  motes  can  land  armies 
where  it  chooses  and  conquer  whom  it  chooses. 

158 


How  the   World   Received  the  News 

Moreover,  the  commercial  relations  of  nations  will 
be  made  much  closer  when  intercourse  is  carried 
on  in  so  easy  and  rapid  a  way,  as  it  soon  will  be.  Un- 
der these  circumstances  it  seems  very  desirable  that 
the  motes  be  controlled  by  no  one  nation,  because 
that  nation  would  practically  command  the  world. 
My  view,  therefore,  is  that  the  control  should  be  ex- 
ercised by  some  neutral  and  independent  power, 
obliged  to  provide  positively  against  the  use  of  the 
motes  for  the  purpose  of  conquest  of  any  people 
whatever,  or  in  the  special  interest  of  any  nation  at 
the  expense  of  other  nations." 

"  You  have  partly  explained  the  other  question  I 
was  going  to  ask  you  as  to  your  intended  use  of  the 
motes  for  the  benefit  of  the  entire  human  race ;  your 
own  country,  apparently,  having  no  higher  claim 
on  you  than  any  other  ?  If  I  understand  correctly, 
this  is  your  view." 

"  I  tried  to  make  that  view  perfectly  clear  in  my 
address,  and  I  do  not  see  how  anything  can  be  added 
to  what  I  have  stated.  Please  remember  that  this 
country  will  necessarily  have  enormous  advantages 
at  the  start,  which  may  well  become  permanent. 
Such  being  the  case,  I  cannot  feel  under  any  obliga- 
tion to  favor  it  at  the  expense  of  other  nations." 

"  Now,  a  third  point.  The  attention  of  the  De- 
partment has  been  called  to  the  proceedings  at  the 
presentation  of  your  personal  representative  to  the 
King  of  England,  which  are  said  to  have  been  con- 
ducted in  such  a  way  as  to  imply  that  you  were  your- 

159 


His   Wisdom   the  Defender 

self  an  independent  sovereign,  sending  an  ambassa- 
dor to  a  foreign  court.  I  trust  you  will  deny  any 
such  intention." 

"  I  certainly  had  no  such  intention.  I  suppose 
my  right  to  have  a  personal  representative  at  the  cap- 
ital of  any  country  is  unquestioned.  The  presenta- 
tion of  Mr.  Robinson  to  the  King  had  no  more  sig- 
nificance than  the  presentation  of  any  other  citizen 
of  the  United  States.  It  was  done  simply  because 
he  and  the  King  were  both  on  board  the.  mote,  and 
the  King  was  willing  to  make  his  acquaintance  on  ac- 
count of  the  very  important  position  which  he  occu- 
pied." 

"  That  is  quite  satisfactory.  But  I  am  not  satis- 
fied with  the  sentiments  you  express  as  to  your  duties 
towards  your  own  government.  You  must  be  per- 
fectly aware  that  this  government  cannot  for  a  mo- 
ment tolerate  any  act  of  one  of  its  own  citizens  look- 
ing to  the  formation,  by  his  own  will,  of  an  organ- 
ization independent  of  it.  It  is  responsible  to  for- 
eign nations  for  your  acts.  It  is  therefore  impera- 
tive that  you  act  only  as  authorized  by  it.  So  far 
as  I  am  aware,  you  have  not  yet  done  any  overt  thing 
calling  for  repression.  At  the  same  time,  you  must 
be  quite  conscious  that  one  of  your  proceedings  has 
caused  and  is  causing  great  anxiety  throughout  this 
country — that  is,  the  sending  of  an  expedition,  sev- 
eral thousand  strong,  to  some  unknown  point  in  the 
northern  regions,  and  refusing  to  give  any  informa- 
tion as  to  its  purpose  or  object." 

160 


How  the  World  Received  the  News 

"  The  reasons  for  sending  the  expedition  out  were 
implied  in  my  address.  It  was  necessary  to  train 
a  large  body  of  men  in  the  use  of  the  motes,  and  to 
have  their  training  carried  on  without  the  public 
knowing  anything  about  it;  otherwise,  the  calami- 
ties which  I  described  would  have  at  once  been 
brought  on,  and  unending  confusion  would  have 
been  the  result.  At  the  present  time  there  is  no  ob- 
ject in  bringing  the  expedition  away  from  where 
it  now  is  until  I  shall  need  the  services  of  its  mem- 
bers." 

"  You  will,  I  trust,  deem  it  right  that  I  should 
speak  with  perfect  frankness.  I  must  say  that  your 
explanation  for  still  keeping  the  force  out  of  sight 
seems  to  me  unsatisfactory;  but  it  is  useless  to  go 
into  details.  I  can  only  caution  you  once  more 
against  taking  any  measures  which  will  call  for 
repressive  action  on  the  part  of  the  government. 

"  Meanwhile,  there  is  another  point  which  I  have 
to  mention.  The  President  contemplates  calling  an 
international  conference  to  negotiate  and  deliberate  on 
the  measures  to  be  taken  by  the  various  governments 
of  the  world  to  protect  them  against  the  dangers  you 
have  pointed  out.  It  seems  to  me  eminently  proper 
that  you  should  be  named  as  one  of  the  conferees.  I 
apprise  you  of  this  because  the  President  has  ex- 
pressed a  special  desire  to  hear  your  views  on  the 
subject." 

"  Will  the  specific  purpose  and  end  of  the  con- 
ference be  named  in  the  call  ?" 
L  161 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

"  I  cannot  say ;  that  matter  has  not  jet  been  de- 
cided upon.  At  present  the  idea  is  only  assuming 
shape." 

"  I  do  not  think  I  ought,  under  any  circumstances, 
to  take  part  in  such  a  conference.  For  me  to  do  so 
as  a  representative  of  this  government,  with  all  due 
deference  to  your  views,  would  not  be  wholly  com- 
patible with  the  responsibilities  which  you  have,  in 
part,  recognized  in  my  position.  What  interest  I 
shall  take  in  the  conference  will  depend  upon  its  ob- 
jects ;  if  you  will  allow  me  a  moment  to  put  my  views 
of  the  matter  in  writing,  I  will  do  so." 

A  tablet  was  handed  to  him  and  he  wrote  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Call  a  conference  to  agree  upon  the  immediate 
and  complete  abolition  of  the  military  and  naval 
establishments  of  all  the  powers  taking  part  in  it, 
and  the  disbandment  of  all  troops,  wherever  employ- 
ed, not  absolutely  necessary  to  the  protection  of  life 
and  property  against  unlawful  violence." 

He  handed  the  paper  to  the  Secretary,  who  read 
it  and  reread  it  slowly  and  carefully. 

"  This  is  going  altogether  too  far.  It  cannot  be 
thought  that  any  of  the  great  powers  would  consent 
to  entering  into  a  conference  on  such  terms.  This 
government  would  not  do  so  itself.  It  must  keep 
the  influence  due  it  as  one  of  the  leading  mili- 
tary powers  of  the  world.  All  it  can  agree  to  is 
that  this  power  shall  not  be  so  used  as  to  imperil  the 
interest  of  any  other  independent  nation.  If  all  na- 

162 


How  the  World    Received   the  News 

tions  shall  agree,  the  power  shall  be  restricted  so  far 
as  the  concensus  of  opinion  may  deem  proper." 

"  I  fully  concede,"  replied  Campbell,  "  that  the 
leading  nations  of  the  world  would  not  be  likely  to 
agree  to  any  such  proposal.  For  that  reason  I  shall 
feel  little  interest  in  the  proposed  conference.  My 
own  private  opinion  is  that  the  interests  of  humanity 
cannot  be  guarded  by  any  measure  less  drastic  than 
the  one  I  have  suggested.  Meanwhile,  all  I  can  do  is 
to  prevent,  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  the  power  which 
I  wield  being  used  in  an  attack  on  the  rights  and 
liberties  of  any  people  whatever.  More  than  that 
I  cannot  say.  Is  there  anything  to  be  added?  If 
not  I  have  only  to  thank  you  for  your  kind  con- 
sideration in  all  that  you  have  stated." 

The  two  men  shook  hands  and  took  leave  of  each 
other.  The  interview  had  greatly  increased  the  so- 
licitude of  each  as  to  the  intentions  of  the  other. 
The  fears  of  the  Secretary  that  Campbell  contem- 
plated some  move  incompatible  with  the  duty  of  a  citi- 
zen to  his  own  country,  and  likely  to  complicate  in- 
ternational relations,  were  not  allayed.  Campbell 
saw  that  the  policy  he  had  in  contemplation  would 
meet  with  no  sympathy  in  the  Department  of  State. 
But  a  voice  sounded  in  his  ears : 

"He  who  would  wield  the  power  of  a  god  must 
bear  the  responsibility  of  a  god." 

Besides  the  personal  representative  who  had  been 
presented  to  the  King,  and  who  was  not  expected  to 
take  any  active  part  in  business  negotiations,  Camp- 

163 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

bell  had  sent  out  in  the  mote  a  skilled  attorney  and 
a  man  of  business,  with  a  view  to  making  arrange- 
ments with  the  British  and  French  governments  to 
run  the  two  great  loomotes  between  New  York  and 
their  respective  capitals.  The  great  point  aimed  at 
was  that  each  government  should  agree  to  respect 
the  neutrality  of  the  motes  under  all  circumstances. 
In  the  course  of  a  week  a  contract  was  made  with 
a  duly  authorized  representative  of  his  Majesty's 
government,  in  which  occurred  the  following  clause : 

"  It  is  agreed  by  the  party  of  the  first  part  that  the 
mote  to  be  run  under  the  present  contract  is  guaran- 
teed against  detention  or  seizure  by  any  power  what- 
ever while  within  the  jurisdiction  of  his  Majesty's 
government,  except  as  provided  in  the  following 
clause :  If  it  should  appear  that  any  persons  or  par- 
ties in  an  arriving  mote  design  to  inflict  unlawful 
injuries  upon  his  Majesty's  subjects  or  upon  their 
property,  or  to  make  war  upon  the  forces  of  his  said 
Majesty,  then  his  Majesty's  forces  shall  have  the 
right  to  enter  said  mote  and  seize  and  remove  all 
such  persons.  The  mote  shall  then  be  released  and 
restored  to  the  Owner." 

Under  these  arrangements  the  loomote  Hesperus 
started  on  its  first  voyage  to  London,  and  the  Cynthia 
left  for  Paris  on  the  day  following.  In  the  mean- 
time the  expedition  under  Mr.  Winthrop  had  nearly 
completed  the  tour  of  the  capitals  of  Europe,  and 
was  about  to  start  for  Pekin,  when  an  unforeseen 
event  disturbed  the  current  of  the  Owner's  plans. 

164 


XI 

The  Red-headed  Man  Scores  the  Greatest 
"  Beat "  in  the  History  of  Journalism 

IF  telegraph  wires  could  feel  the  weight  of  the  mes- 
sages they  were  conveying,  the  whole  line  from 
Washington  to  Campbelltown  would,  within  a 
week  after  the  interview  with  the  Secretary  of  State, 
have  bowed  beneath  its  burden.     Long  before  Camp- 
bell was  up,  despatches  came  in  so  rapidly  that  the 
operators  found  it  was   almost  impossible  to  take 
them.     The  messengers  carried  them  to  headquarters 
in  handfuls.     The  purport  of  all  was  a  good  deal  the 
same: 

"  Please  deny  report  in  New  York  Herald  this 
morning." 

"  Please  allow  our  representative  an  interview  on 
the  subject  of  your  intentions,  as  stated  in  the  Her- 
ald." 

"  Please  explain  situation.  What  authority  has 
the  Herald  for  its  statement?  The  Bungtown  Ban- 
ner will  gladly  publish  anything  you  have  to  say  on 
the  subject." 

And  so  on,  in  an  endless  chain. 
165 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

During  breakfast  it  was  Campbell's  habit  to  read, 
before  their  classification  by  his  secretary,  both  the 
newspapers  and  such  despatches  as  might  have  ar- 
rived. The  moment  he  entered  the  room  and  took 
his  seat  at  the  table,  he  saw  that  something  extraor- 
dinary had  happened.  There  was  such  a  stack  of 
despatches  that  it  seemed  hopeless  to  attack  them. 
They  were  still  falling  like  snow-flakes.  A  glance 
at  two  or  three  was  sufficient  to  show  that  the  issue 
of  the  New  York  Herald  that  morning  must  contain 
something  of  a  very  striking  character.  As  soon 
as  the  paper  arrived,  he  called  for  it  and  examined 
it  with  eagerness.  The  very  first  page,  usually 
devoted  to  advertisements,  was  taken  up  with  a  blaz- 
ing article  in  double-leaded  type,  with  the  most  strik- 
ing phrases  printed  here  and  there  in  red  and  blue 
colors.  The  heading  took  up  about  half  the  page, 
and  the  first  line  was  printed  in  red  letters  an  inch 
high: 

THE    SECRET    OUT! 

What  Archibald  the  Great  has  been  doing  and 
thinking  1 

What  he  is  going  to  do ! 

The  armies  of  the  world  to  be  swept  from  the 
earth ! 

The  navies  to  be  sunk! 

The  United  States  of  the  World  to  be  organized! 

King  Archibald  the  First  to  assume  the  reins  of 
Universal  Government! 

166 


A  Feat   of  Journalism 

Full  account  of  his  plans  from  our  special  corre- 
spondent ! 

This  was  the  prelude  to  a  despatch  from  "  our  cor- 
respondent "  at  Campbelltown.  It  was  a  paper  such 
as  no  one  but  a  Herald  reporter  could  write.  The 
phrases  in  red  or  blue  were  in  type  twice  as  large 
as  the  pica  of  the  rest  of  the  article.  Glanc- 
ing down  the  page  at  them,  such  expressions  as  these 
caught  the  eye :  "  Machine-guns,"  "  Dynamite  Earth- 
quake-makers," "  Hailstorm  of  bullets,"  "  His  Most 
Gracious  Majesty,  Archibald  the  Great,  Ruler  of 
the  World."  The  despatch  extended  over  to  the  sec- 
ond page.  Each  of  the  six  columns  on  this  page  was 
headed  with  the  words  "  The  Secret  Out "  in  red 
letters. 

Campbell  read  the  first  two  columns,  then  threw 
the  paper  down  in  dismay  and  disgust.  The  words 
which  he  read  were  these : 

"  The  whole  human  race  may  well  tear  its  hair 
when  it  sees  its  stupidity  in  failing  to  divine  the  ob- 
jects of  the  man  who,  during  the  past  four  years,  has 
filled  so  prominent  a  place  in  its  eyes.  That  no  one 
should  ever  have  guessed  his  motives  and  seen 
through  his  purposes  will  hereafter  seem  incredible. 
All  that  was  dark  is  now  light.  Everything  that 
was  concealed  is  made  known.  All  the  eccentrici- 
ties of  his  conduct,  his  singular  ways  of  doing  busi- 
ness, his  constant  refusals  to  accept  even  the  most 
advantageous  offers  of  co-operation,  the  mystery 

167 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

i 

which  enshrouded  all  his  movements,  his  regal  in- 
accessibility to  the  public — all  are  now  explained. 
When  he  invented  his  thermic  engine,  people  won- 
dered why  he  did  not  patent  it  and  proceed  with  its 
manufacture  on  the  largest  scale.  For  a  long  time 
they  did  not  even  guess  that  he  had  anything  else  in 
view.  Then  his  secrecy  was  explained  by  showing 
that  he  had  something  else  in  view — no  less  than  the 
building  and  running  of  the  motes.  Even  these 
were  enveloped  in  mystery  until  it  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  his  plans  that  they  should  be  shown 
to  the  world. 

"  No  one  could  for  a  moment  believe  that  the  ex- 
cuses he  made  were  his  sole  reasons  for  secrecy.  ~No 
one  has  given  any  credence  to  his  explanation  why, 
at  this  day,  thousands  of  his  men  and  hundreds  of 
his  motes  are  still  practising  at  some  unknown,  un- 
inhabited point  in  or  near  the  Arctic  zone. 

"  Now  all  is  clear,  as  it  should  have  been  from  the 
very  beginning.  He  has  intended  all  along  to  be- 
come the  ruler  of  the  world.  In  a  few  weeks 
everything  will  be  ready  for  the  final  move.  Is  it  not 
singular  that  among  the  few  people  who  managed 
to  see  the  strange  port-holes  pierced  in  the  sides  of 
more  than  a  hundred  of  the  motes,  no  one  suspected 
what  they  were  for  ?  Out  of  each  of  these  holes  now 
peers  a  machine-gun.  Flying  through  the  air,  taking 
up  any  position  they  please,  dodging  every  weapon 
that  can  be  aimed  at  them,  taking  every  hiding-place 
within  their  range  of  vision,  these  phantom  ships 

168 


A  Feat  of  Journalism 

are  invincible.  Under  the  hailstorm  of  bullets  from 
their  artillery,  every  army  in  the  world  will  melt 
away  like  snow-flakes  under  a  tropical  sun.  Help- 
less as  sheep,  soldiers  can  escape  their  fate  only  by 
hiding  in  casemates  or  hurrying  themselves  out  of 
sight  in  caverns  and  cellars.  Any  city  that  refuses 
to  submit  can  be  brought  to  terms  by  dynamite  shells. 
Any  ruler  who  objects  to  the  new  order  of  things  can 
be  carried  in  chains  before  the  higher  than  imperial 
throne  of  the  modern  Jehovah. 

"  The  great  problem  before  him  has  been  to  keep 
his  plans  secret  until  he  was  ready  to  act,  and  thus 
prevent  not  only  the  seizure  of  his  person  and  his 
establishment  by  the  government  in  self-defence, 
but  the  danger  of  any  combination  among  the  na- 
tions to  defeat  his  plans.  This  is  the  real  reason 
for  the  great  Arctic  encampment  being  still  kept  out 
of  sight.  That  he  really  has  communication  with  it 
every  night  no  well-informed  person  can  seriously 
doubt.  He  awaits  the  report  that  all  is  ready ..." 

There  was  also  an  editorial,  in  double-leaded  type, 
calling  attention  to  the  discovery  made  by  the  cor- 
respondent and  to  the  achievement  of  the  Herald  in 
being  the  only  journal  to  make  known  the  secret. 
It  was  written  in  as  light  a  vein  as  if  it  had  com- 
mented on  an  e very-day  subject.  It  spoke  rather 
breezily  of  King  Archibald  I.  "  He  will  be  a  fairly 
good  monarch,  after  all,  and  the  world  may  not  have 
much  occasion  to  object  to  his  rule." 

169 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

It  may  be  believed  that  Campbell  did  not  eat  much 
breakfast,  especially  when  he  was  informed  that  a 
crowd  of  reporters  were  besieging  the  gate,  deter- 
mined to  see  him  immediately,  and  would  not  take 
"  no  "  for  an  answer.  The  situation  was  a  critical 
one,  and  it  was  necessary  to  appear  as  cool  and  placid 
as  possible.  He  went  into  his  reception-hall  and 
directed  their  admission.  The  red-headed  man  was 
in  the  front  rank,  but  resigned  his  usual  functions  of 
spokesman  to  the  Times  man.  Campbell  noticed 
him  with  some  surprise.  He  had  expected  to  see  a 
look  of  triumph  on  his  rubicund  visage,  as  much  as 
to  say,  "  Now,  haven't  I  got  you  ?"  But  the  only 
change  in  his  usual  smile  was  that  it  was  tinged  with 
a  serious  look,  as  if  he  had  important  business  on 
hand.  He  had  his  note-book  in  hand,  and  seemed 
to  have  no  other  idea  than  that  of  reporting  the  pro- 
ceedings of  a  meeting. 

"  Mr.  Campbell,  we  have  called  to  inquire  about 
the  article  in  the  Herald  this  morning,  which  I  sup- 
pose you  have  seen." 

"  Yes,  I  have  seen  the  article,  but  I  have  not  read 
it,  and  have  not  time  to  read  it,  so  I  don't  know  that 
I  can  tell  you  much  about  it.  You  know  what  it 
is,  and  I  do  not  see  why  you  come  to  me  for  infor- 
mation." 

"  We  wish  to  know  whether  it  is  true.  Everybody 
wants  to  know  what  you  have  to  say  on  the  subject. 
If  it  is  not  true,  it  is  necessary  for  you  to  deny  it." 

"  Here  you  place  me  in  an  embarrassing  position. 
170 


A   Feat  of  Journalism 

You  know  I  have  already  announced,  as  one  of  the 
rules  of  my  organization,  that  no  person  in  it  is  to 
deny  any  false  report  that  may  be  set  in  circulation. 
Of  course  I  must  obey  my  own  rules." 

"  But  this  is  one  of  those  extraordinary  cases  for 
which  rules  were  never  made." 

"  But  let  me  remind  you  further  that  the  rule 
does  not  prohibit  the  denial  of  a  true  report.  Hence, 
as  I  have  already  told  you,  if  I  deny  the  report,  it 
will  imply  that  it  is  true.  I  am  not  prepared  to  ad- 
mit the  truth  of  the  report.  You  must  therefore 
excuse  me  from  denying  it." 

"  But  it  must  be  denied.  The  whole  country  is 
in  a  turmoil,  greater  than  it  was  even  on  the  morn- 
ing after  your  motes  were  launched." 

"  But  will  it  lessen  the  turmoil  for  me  to  say 
something  leading  to  the  inference  that  the  report 
is  true  ?" 

"  You  surely  can  say  something  that  people  will 
believe  and  which  will  thus  relieve  the  public  ten- 
sion." 

Campbell  pondered  a  moment.  "  Well,  I  will 
tell  you  one  thing,  which  I  trust  you  will  all  believe. 
If  the  report  does  prove  to  be  true,  I  shall  undoubt- 
edly be  an  absolute  monarch,  shall  I  not  ?" 

"  That  will  depend  on  yourself.  You  will  be 
what  you  choose." 

"  On  the  theory  which  you  say  was  set  forth  in 
the  Herald  this  morning,  I  could  not  be  anything 
else.  Then  let  me  categorically  inform  you  that  if 

171 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

I  do  assume  the  position  of  ruling  monarch  of  the 
world,  my  first  official  act  will  be  to  order  the  exe- 
cution, by  hanging,  of  the  man  who  was  guilty  of  the 
treasonable  conduct  of  betraying  my  secret." 

As  he  said  this,  he  darted  at  the  red-headed  man 
a  look  which  he  intended  to  be  very  fierce.  The  vic- 
tim winced  for  a  moment.  Then  a  smile  spread  over 
the  faces  of  the  assemblage,  in  which  the  red-headed 
man  soon  joined.  They  could  not  help  smiling  at 
the  idea  of  the  gentle  little  man  before  them  order- 
ing anybody  to  execution.  His  affected  wrath  was 
comical,  and  his  threat  seemed  too  ludicrous  to  be 
feared. 

"  Surely  you  can  tell  us  something.  Are  the  motes 
now  practising  in  polar  regions  armed  with  machine- 
guns  ?" 

"  I  don't  see  that  anything  I  can  say  would  be  of 
the  slightest  use.  If  the  theory  set  forth  in  the 
Herald's  article-  is  a  correct  one,  of  course  I  am  not 
going  to  give  my  plans  away  by  telling  you  about 
them.  If  it  is  false,  no  harm  is  done  by  my  saying 
nothing,  for  the  simple  reason  that  no  denial  that 
I  might  make  would  be  of  any  use.  Of  course,  it 
might  be  necessary  for  me  to  deny  it  if  it  were  true. 
When  the  proper  time  comes  I  shall  speak;  mean- 
while, I  propose  to  give  you  newspapers  full  swing  to 
invent  what  you  please." 

"  When  will  that  proper  time  come  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know  exactly — possibly  in  a  day  or  two, 
possibly  not  for  a  week.  I  had  not  intended  to  speak 

172 


A  Peat  of  Journalism 

for  a  month  to  come.  I  must  ask  you  to  excuse  me 
from  any  further  statement  at  present." 

He  left  the  room,  only  to  be  confronted  by  a  mes- 
senger bearing  a  despatch  of  especial  importance. 
It  came' from  the  British  ambassador  at  Washington, 
and  was  couched  in  the  following  terms: 

"  His  Britannic  Majesty's  ambassador  at  Wash- 
ington desires  the  honor  of  an  immediate  interview 
with  the  Owner  of  the  Motes.  He  is  about  to  take  a 
special  train  for  Campbelltown  with  this  end  in 
view." 

Campbell  called  his  secretary  and  dictated  the  fol- 
lowing reply: 

"  The  Owner  of  the  Motes  will  be  very  glad  to  re- 
ceive the  British  ambassador.  To  facilitate  his 
coming,  a  mote  will  be  at  once  despatched  to  Wash- 
ington to  bring  him  hither." 

He  gave  orders  to  have  one  of  the  smallest  motes 
made  ready  immediately,  and  sent  to  Washington. 
Before  it  had  time  to  leave,  similar  despatches  came 
from  the  Kussian,  German,  French,  and  Italian  am- 
bassadors. 

Answers  were  sent  to  them  that  a  mote  would  ar- 
rive at  the  State  Department  in  about  an  hour  to 
bring  them  to  Campbelltown. 

But  before  the  answers  were  received,  all  were  on 
the  way  to  the  railway  station.  The  British  ambas- 
sador arrived  there  first,  and  ordered  a  special  car 
drawn  by  the  best  engine  available,  regardless  of  the 
wants  of  traffic.  The  other  ambassadors. arrived  one 

173 


His   Wisdom   the   Defender 

by  one  before  the  engine  was  ready,  and,  easily  guess- 
ing each  other's  errand,  all  came  in  the  same  car. 
It  took  two  hours  for  the  train  to  reach  Campbell- 
town,  and  this  gave  Campbell  time  to  think  over 
what  he  was  to  say. 

It  was  the  most  embarrassing  situation  in  which 
he  had  ever  been  placed.  The  ambassadors,  repre- 
senting a  good  part  of  the  civilized  world,  were  not 
to  be  put  off  with  any  such  light-hearted  logic  as  that 
with  which  he  had  dismissed  the  reporters.  Every 
direct  refusal  to  answer  their  questions  and  every 
obvious  evasion  would  increase  the  suspicion  which 
the  world  now  entertained  as  to  his  intentions.  To 
say  anything  false  or  even  misleading  was  not  only 
too  despicable  to  be  thought  of,  but  would  seriously 
impair  the  universal  confidence  and  respect  which 
he  hoped  that  his  future  course  would  command. 
Strictly  construed,  and  considered  as  separate  state- 
ments, the  Herald  article  was  a  tissue  of  falsehoods 
which  he  could  easily  deny.  He  had  no  machine- 
guns.  He  did  not  intend  to  attack  any  army  with 
deadly  weapons,  because  he  had  no  such  weapons  at 
command.  He  did  not  want  to  be  a  ruler  of  any  sort. 
There  was,  therefore,  no  difficulty  in  denying  in  de- 
tail the  assertions  of  the  article. 

The  real  cause  of  embarrassment  was  that  the 
statements  were  untrue  only  when  taken  singly  and 
verbally,  and  that  the  mind  of  the  correspondent 
was  cast  in  too  small  a  mould  to  grasp  the  extent  of 
his  plans.  The  world,  at  first,  would  see  little  es- 

174 


A  Feat   of  Journalism 

sential  difference  between  his  actual  plans,  if  he 
announced  them,  and  those  attributed  to  him.  If  he 
did  not  intend  to  become  a  ruler  in  name,  he  was  de- 
termined, if  possible,  to  perform  the  most  important 
— we  might  almost  say  the  sole — function  of  a  ruler 
of  the  world — that  of  enforcing  law  and  order  in  the 
intercourse  of  nations.  If  he  was  not  going  to  sweep 
armies  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  it  was  a  part  of 
his  plan  to  abolish  them.  If  he  was  not  going  to 
sink  navies,  he  might  haul  them  ashore.  Of  two 
plans  so  near  alike,  how  was  he  to  deny  the  one  and 
not  the  other?  The  world  in  its  present  frame  of 
mind  would  refuse  to  recognize  any  difference  be- 
tween  the  two.  Persuasion  or  force  was  the  only 
question  the  world  had  in  mind,  and  this  question 
he  must  evade. 

The  five  ambassadors  arrived  in  a  body,  and  were, 
of  course,  immediately  shown  in.  Their  approach 
was  marked  with  most  perfect  courtesy,  and  Camp- 
bell had  collected  his  faculties  sufficiently  to  receive 
them  in  a  corresponding  way.  He  invited  them  to 
be  seated,  expressed  his  pleasure  at  meeting  them 
and  his  readiness  to  know  to  what  he  owed  the  dis- 
tinguished honor  of  such  a  visit. 

"  Mr.  Campbell,  you  have  doubtless  seen  an  ar- 
ticle published  in  the  i!^ew  York  Herald  of  this  morn- 
ing purporting  to  give  an  exposition  of  your  policy 
and  intentions." 

"  I  have  seen  the  article,  and  from  the  headings 
and  some  expressions  scattered  here  and  there  I  have 

175 


His  Wisdom  the   Defender 

a  general  idea  of  its  contents.  But  I  really  have  lit- 
tle time  to  read  the  newspapers,  and  have  not  at- 
tributed sufficient  importance  to  the  article  to  oc- 
cupy my  time  in  giving  it  serious  attention.  If  you 
will  state  any  points  to  which  you  wish  particularly 
to  refer,  I  will  be  glad  to  discuss  them." 

This  indifference  to  so  serious  a  subject  disconcert- 
ed the  visitors  for  a  moment,  but  for  a  moment  only. 

"  You  will  readily  understand  that  the  article 
in  question  is  causing  the  greatest  alarm  to  the  peo- 
ple of  every  civilized  country.  We  hope  that  you 
can  make  such  a  disavowal  of  the  intentions  accredit- 
ed to  you  as  will  allay  their  anxiety." 

"  Do  your  Excellencies  think  that  any  statement 
I  could  now  make  would  really  have  that  effect? 
Either  the  assertions  of  the  Herald  are  true  or  they 
are  false.  If  they  are  false,  then  there  is  no  oc- 
casion for  alarm.  If  they  are  true,  will  any  ad- 
vantage be  gained  by  my  either  admitting  them  or 
denying  them?  If  I  admit  them,  then  the  alarm 
will  be  well  founded;  but  if  I  deny  them,  may  it 
not  be  attributed  to  a  desire  to  conceal  my  intentions  ? 
In  a  word,  would  a  person  speaking  under  such  press- 
ure command  credence  in  any  quarter?  Might  he 
not  be  expected  to  consider  that  prevarication  would 
be  excusable  under  circumstances  so  extraordinary  ?" 

This  frank  presentation  of  the  case,  so  different 
from  what  they  had  expected,  puzzled  the  visitors, 
and  it  took  them  some  time  to  frame  a  reply. 

"  However  that  may  be,  it  is  certain  that  a  decli- 
176 


A  Feat  of  Journalism 

nation  on  your  part  to  make  a  statement  on  the  sub- 
ject will  be  looked  upon  the  world  over  as  conceding 
the  truth  of  the  article  to  which  we  allude.  The 
result  will  be  an  immediate  decision  by  the  authori- 
ties of  the  leading  nations  as  to  the  course  to  be  pur- 
sued under  the  circumstances.  What  this  course  will 
be  it  is  not  advisable,  even  were  it  possible,  for  us 
to  say.  A  careful  consideration  of  the  emergency 
on  your  part  will  make  the  case  as  clear  to  you  as 
it  is  possible  for  us  to  present  it." 

Campbell  was  annoyed  that  they  were  not  more 
specific — that  they  did  not  ask  questions  instead  of 
calling  for  statements. 

"  Granting  the  correctness  of  all  that  your  Excel- 
lencies say,  I  do  not  see  that  the  inutility  of  my  mak- 
ing a  specific  answer  to  the  allegations  in  question  is 
thereby  disproved.  But  I  make  no  secret  of  the 
general  objects  and  purposes  which  I  have  in  view. 
Allow  me  to  set  them  forth  in  an  authoritative  way. 

"  I  am  by  nature  and  constitution  an  individual- 
ist. In  my  judgment,  the  whole  history  of  modern 
progress  shows  that  the  highest  development  of  men 
is  reached  when  the  individual  has  the  largest  liberty. 
Moreover,  the  sovereignty  and  independence  of  na- 
tions are  of  equal  importance  with  individual  liberty. 
It  is  this  sovereignty  and  independence  which  will 
be  in  danger  unless  it  is  guaranteed  that  motes  shall 
never  be  used  by  one  nation  in  making  war  upon  an- 
other. I  desire  so  to  strengthen  my  enterprise 
and  my  power  that  any  such  use  of-  the  motes 
M  177 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

shall  be  impossible.  Whether  I  am  able  to  do  this, 
and,  if  I  am  able,  the  best  way  of  bringing  it  about, 
are  subjects  on  which  I  desire  the  wisest  counsel  that 
the  world  has  to  offer. 

"  At  the  same  time  I  have  reached  certain  con- 
clusions on  the  subject  which  seem  to  me  indisput- 
able. These  conclusions  and  a  more  complete  state- 
ment of  the  principles  governing  my  policy  I  desire 
to  set  forth  at  the  earliest  day  when  I  can  prepare  a 
statement.  If  yourselves  and  other  leading  repre- 
sentatives of  the  governments  and  people  of  the  world 
will  do  me  the  honor  to  listen,  I  shall  gladly  have 
you  hear  what  I  shall  say  on  the  subject." 

"  Are  we  then  to  understand  that  you  decline 
to  state  specifically  whether  any  of  the  assertions 
contained  in  the  Herald's  article  are  true  or  false?" 

Campbell  secretly  rejoiced  at  this  question.  It 
gave  him  the  opportunity  to  turn  the  inquiries  of  his 
visitors  in  the  direction  he  wished  them  to  take.  He 
must,  however,  tempt  them  forward  so  gently  as 
to  make  them  feel  they  were  advancing  solely  on 
their  own  volition. 

"  By  no  means,  so  far  as  any  specific  points  are 
concerned.  Your  Excellencies  have  asked  me  to  dis- 
avow intentions  attributed  to  me  by  an  irresponsible 
writer,  in  an  article  filling  nearly  two  pages  of  a 
newspaper,  which  I  have  not  even  had  time  to  read. 
I  am  sure  the  impossibility  of  my  doing  so  will  be 
evident  on  mature  consideration,  especially  in  view 
of  the  difficulty  of  my  foreseeing  what  policy  it  is 

178 


A   Feat  of  Journalism 

best  for  me  to  pursue.  But  if  you  desire  informa- 
tion as  to  the  truth  or  falsity  of  any  specific  points 
mentioned  in  the  article,  I  shall  be  glad  to  give  it. 
I  have  nothing  to  conceal." 

After  a  few  whispers  of  consultation,  the  British 
representative,  who  was  acting  as  spokesman,  con- 
tinued : 

"  We  thank  you,  and  ask  that  you  will  allow  us  to 
be  as  pointed  in  our  questions  as  the  situation  calls 
for.  First  of  all,  we  assume  it  to  be  true  that  you 
have,  at  some  unknown  point  in  the  Arctic  regions, 
a  camp  of  instruction  where  several  thousand  men 
are  practising  aerial  evolutions  with  several  hundred 
motes." 

"  That  I  suppose  to  be  true.  It  is  certainly  my 
intention."  [Now  we  are  getting  on  the  right  track. 
If  only  they  don't  touch  the  wrong  thing  while  they 
are  groping  round  in  the  dark.] 

We  put  in  brackets  Campbell's  unexpressed 
thoughts. 

"  It  is  stated  in  the  article  that  this  expedition 
is  an  armed  one ;  that  it  is  armed  with  machine-guns 
and  perhaps  other  instruments  of  warfare.  Have 
you  any  objections  to  telling  us  what  truth,  if  any, 
there  is  in  this  statement?" 

[Good!]  "None  whatever.  The  expedition  has 
no  machine-guns,  no  arms,  or  weapons  of  any  sort " 
[I  came  very  near  saying  "  nothing  that  can  properly 
be  called  arms  or  weapons  " — what  a  lucky  escape !] 
"  unless  they  have  been  taken  without  either  my  or- 

179 


His   Wisdom   the   Defender 

ders  or  my  knowledge."  [That's  a  stunner.]  "  Stop ! 
they  have  got  fifty  or  a  hundred  rifles  to  shoot  game 
and  defend  themselves  against  wild  animals.  I  think 
that  is  all,  unless  some  of  the  men  carried  knives  or 
revolvers  in  their  pockets." 

"  This  statement  of  yours  will,  we  are  sure,  be  re- 
ceived with  pleasure.  With  your  permission,  and 
without  any  intention  of  doubting  your  word,  we 
shall  make  another  inquiry.  It  is  stated  elsewhere 
in  this  same  issue  of  the  Herald  that  you  purchased 
eight  machine-guns  from  the  American  Arms  Com- 
pany. Is  that  true  ?" 

[Lucky  that  I  didn't  let  Gheen  take  those  guns 
with  him.  I  mustn't  seem  to  remember  them.] 
"  I  think — we — did — buy  guns  of  some  kind,  includ- 
ing a  cannon,  about  two  years  ago.  We  shall  soon 
see."  (Taps  a  bell.)  "  James,  tell  the  property 
clerk  to  come  here  and  bring  his  book  of  purchases 

with  him I  do  not  remember  even  opening  the 

boxes  containing  the  guns.  If  they  have  gone  with 
the  expedition,  it  is  through  some  mistake.  A  great 
amount  of  material  had  to  be  packed  up  and  sent  off, 
and  there  is  always  a  chance  of  things  being  taken 
by  mistake." 

The  clerk  entered  with  a  big  record  book. 

"  Mr.  Black,  didn't  we  buy  some  guns  a  couple  of 
years  ago  or  so  ?  If  so,  have  you  still  got  them,  and 
where  are  they  ?" 

The  clerk  laid  the  book  on  a  desk  and  examined  the 
index. 

180 


A   Feat  of  Journalism 

"  If  your  Excellencies  would  like  to  see  how  my 
records  of  property  are  kept,  I  would  be  glad  to 
have  you  look  at  the  book." 

The  party  went  to  the  desk  and  looked  over  the 
clerk's  shoulder.  He  found  "  Guns  "  indexed  as  on 
pages  247  and  350.  Page  247  was  found,  and  the 
following  entry  shown : 

"  Eight  Gattling  guns,  42  Sept.  7,  Cellar  A.  43 
Nov.  13,  Col.  41."  "Yes,  sir;  they  were  first 
stored  in  Cellar  A  of  the  old  building,  and  are  now 
in  room  41  of  the  Coliseum,"  said  the  clerk. 

"Now,  what's  on  page  350?" 

"  One  three-inch  cannon,  in  shed  M.  That's  the 
signal  gun  that  was  fired  for  the  launching." 

"  You  are  quite  sure  that  Gheen  did  not  take  those 
things  with  the  expedition?" 

"  If  he  did,  it  was  without  my  knowledge,"  said 
the  clerk.  "  But  I  can  soon  see  if  they  are  in  their 
place." 

"Do  so,  please,  and  let  us  know.  If  your  Ex- 
cellencies wish  we  can  go  with  the  clerk  and  satisfy 
ourselves  that  the  guns  are  here." 

"  That  is  hardly  necessary.  We  will  take  his 
word  on  the  subject.  But  can  you  give  the  date  of 
the  purchase?" 

By  the  property  book  they  were  received  Septem- 
ber 7,  1942. 

"  That  is  pretty  close.  The  Herald  gives  the 
date  of  the  bill  as  September  10,  1942." 

[No  need  telling  them  that  with  those  guns  I  in- 
181 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

tend  to  defend  my  works  on  the  Island  of  Elba  a 
I  entrance.] 

"  Then  we  are  to  understand  you  that  the  organ- 
ization under  Captain  Gheen's  command  is  in  no 
sense  a  military  one  ?" 

[Bad !  but  I  must  take  the  bull  by  the  horns,  and 
that  boldly.]  "  I  fail  to  see  how  a  body  of  unarmed 
men  can  in  any  proper  sense  be  called  military.  At 
the  same  time,  I  should  be  wanting  in  frankness  did 
I  not  point  out  that  the  organization  might  as  well 
be  military.  It  must  be  quite  evident  to  you  that 
a  body  of  men  moving  through  the  air  in  motes  need 
only  be  supplied  with  arms  to  become  a  military 
force  of  the  most  formidable  kind.  These  arms  they 
can  seize  in  almost  any  quarter  and  at  any  moment. 
The  possibility  of  this  is  the  great  feature  of  the  situ- 
ation, the  gravity  of  which  I  fear  the  world  still  fails 
to  grasp,  else  your  questions  would,  to-day,  have 
taken  a  different  turn." 

The  Property  Cleric:  "  The  guns  are  all  there, 
sir.  They  are  still  boxed  up.  I  do  not  think  the 
boxes  have  been  unscrewed  since  the  inspection  on 
arrival." 

The  ambassadors  received  this  announcement  with 
evident  satisfaction. 

"  The  frankness  with  which  you  have  responded 
to  our  inquiries  prompts  us  to  offer  a  suggestion.  It 
must  be  quite  evident  to  you  that  the  Herald  article 
and  the  universal  apprehension  which  it  excites  are 
due  to  your  unexplained  course  in  keeping  this 

182 


A   Feat  of  Journalism 

expedition,  a  force  which,  as  you  say,  may  in  a  mo- 
ment be  transformed  into  a  military  one,  out  of  sight 
of  the  world,  making  its  doings  and  objects  an  im- 
penetrable secret,  and  not  allowing  a  word  of  intel- 
ligence to  escape  from  it.  If  you  should  deem  it 
proper  to  tell  us  why  the  expedition  is  kept  where 
it  is,  and  what  it  is  doing,  we  are  sure  it  would  go 
far  to  relieve  the  apprehension  which  now  prevails." 

Campbell  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"  Gentlemen,  I  fear  what  you  say  is  too  true,  so 
far  as  the  apprehension  and  the  method  of  relieving 
it  are  concerned.  But  this  only  shows — all  the  drift 
of  your  questioning  shows — how  lamentably  men 
fail  to  grasp  the  situation.  The  great  question  be- 
tween us  this  morning  has  been  whether  there  is  any 
danger  of  my  using  the  motes  in  warfare.  The  ques- 
tion you  should  have  asked  me  is  how  am  I  to  pre- 
vent the  motes  being  used  in  warfare?  As  long  as 
the  motes  are  controlled  by  one  man,  unless  that 
man  is  lost  to  all  sense  of  his  responsibility,  the 
world  has  nothing  to  fear.  One  man  can  have  no 
object  in  ruling  the  world;  and  if  he  did  want  to 
rule  it,  what  harm  could  he  do  so  long  as  his  rule 
was  reasonably  impartial  ?  The  real  danger  is  from 
the  love  of  conquest  and  dominion  on  the  part  of 
nations.  International  law  still  permits  any  nation 
to  make  war  when  it  chooses,  for  any  purpose  it 
deems  appropriate,  and  with  the  most  effective  ap- 
pliances it  can  control.  As  long  as  that  liberty 
is  recognized,  so  long  will  the  very  existence  of 

183 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

motes  afford  a  just  ground  of  dread  to  mankind  at 
large. 

"  I  have  said  more  than  I  intended  to  say  at  pres- 
ent. Allow  me  to  repeat  that,  in  my  next  address, 
I  expect  to  have  the  honor  to  make  such  further 
statements  as  may  seem  called  for  by  the  situation." 

The  ambassadors  made  no  reply,  and  soon  took 
their  leave.  Let  us  see  what  Campbell  had  to  say 
on  the  subject  in  his  journal : 

"  May,  1942. — This  world  of  humanity  is  a  queer 
compound  of  folly  and  wisdom.  It  worships  most 
what  it  most  abhors — force.  If  it  sees  a  young  man 
struggling  against  difficulties  to  carry  on  some  great 
and  useful  work,  it  looks  on  with  apathy  or  some- 
thing worse,  so  long  as  he  keeps  strictly  within  the 
law.  If  he  shows  too  much  energy,  it  will  enact 
laws  to  impede  him.  When  he  violates  the  law, 
every  effort  is  made  to  crush  him  with  its  machinery. 
If  he  proves  stronger  than  the  law,  more  especially 
if  his  course  is  marked  by  such  violence  as  to  attract 
universal  attention  to  his  energy,  if  every  effort  to 
crush  him  proves  futile,  then  the  world  proceeds 
to  worship  him  and  erects  monuments  to  his  mem- 
ory ;  when,  if  he  had  done  his  work  in  a  law-abiding 
way,  he  would  have  excited  no  notice  from  his 
contemporaries  and  been  forgotten  as  soon  as  he  was 
dead.  Each  of  the  six  great  manufacturing  cor- 
porations of  the  country,  which  have  proved  instru- 
ments of  such  beneficence  in  making  the  necessaries 
of  life  cheap  and  plenty,  were  fought  so  bitterly  at 

184 


A  Feat   of  Journalism 

every  step  that  its  managers  had  to  get  the  upper- 
hand  of  the  public  and  rule  it  with  a  rod  of  iron.  I 
except  the  seventh,  my  own,  because  I  went  about 
in  such  a  way  that  men  could  find  nothing  to  legis- 
late about ;  so  they  could  do  nothing  but  spit  gall  and 
bitterness  at  me. 

"Possibly  my  scruples  against  killing  may  be  crim- 
inal weakness  on  my  part.  I  cannot  deny  that  the 
most  certain  and  speedy  way  of  inaugurating  the 
golden  age  of  universal  peace  and  plenty  would  be 
to  carry  out  the  Herald  programme — sweep  armies 
off  the  face  of  the  earth  with  murderous  artillery,  or 
drive  their  men  into  caves  of  refuge,  inspire  univer- 
sal terror  by  my  power,  and  say  to  the  world,  '  Behold 
your  master;  submit  to  his  sway  or  see  your  cities 
destroyed  and  your  works  brought  to  naught  P  There 
might  be  a  few  weeks  of  raging  and  gnashing  of 
teeth.  After  that  I  should  be  worshipped  by  all 
but  those  malecontents  whose  principal  trait  is  a 
state  of  congenital  dissatisfaction  with  all  that  ex- 
ists." 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  interview  did 
not  satisfy  the  Herald.  It  claimed  that  none  of 
the  really  serious  allegations  made  by  its  correspond- 
ent were  denied,  and  that  the  most  essential  among 
them  were  admitted.  Meantime  guns  could  be  put 
into  the  motes  at  any  moment.  No  matter  by  what 
term  he  might  call  himself — King  or  Universal 
Judge — it  was  clearly  the  intention  of  the  Owner  of 
the  Motes  to  exercise  supreme  authority  over  the 

185 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

nations  of  the  world.  The  question  whether  they 
should  submit  to  that  authority  was  one  for  the  na- 
tions themselves  to  decide. 

Three  days  later  an  invitation  to  the  following 
effect  was  addressed  to  the  highest  officers  of  the 
government  and  to  all  the  foreign  ambassadors  and 
ministers : 

"  The  Owner  of  the  Motes  requests  the  honor  of 
your  company  on  board  the  Concordia,  in  the  city 
of  Washington,  on  Tuesday  next,  the  12th  instant. 
He  will  avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  make 
a  public  utterance  on  the  subject  of  the  political 
effects  of  the  motes  as  bearing  upon  international 
law  and  the  mutual  relations  of  the  governments  of 
the  world." 

The  invited  party  was  more  select  than  that  which 
came  together  to  witness  the  first  running  of  the 
motes.  It  included  only  the  President  and  his  cab- 
inet, the  chairmen  of  the  foreign  affairs  committees 
in  the  House  and  Senate,  and  the  representatives  of 
foreign  nations.  ~No  invitations  were  extended  to 
the  press,  except  that  the  three  press  associations 
were  each  allowed  to  have  a  reporter  present. 


XII 
Our  Hero  Makes  a  Clean  Breast 

THE  position  in  which  Campbell  was  placed  by 
the  Herald  article  was  one  of  the  greatest 
perplexity.     Had  it  appeared  a  month  later, 
when   his   preparations   for   action   were   complete, 
he  would  have  cared  but  little.     The  real  trouble 
was  not  that  the  article  had  revealed  his  plans — 
his  interview  with  the  ambassadors  had  gone  far  to 
relieve  the  public  mind  on  that  score — but  that  pub- 
lic attention  had  been  pointedly  called  to  what  it 
was  in  his  power  to  do  if  he  chose. 

History  tells  us  that  when  horses  were  in  use  it 
was  necessary  to  cover  their  eyes  with  pieces  of 
leather  known  as  "  blinders,"  which  kept  them  from 
seeing  in  any  direction  except  straight  ahead.  The 
reason  was  that  these  animals  were  extremely  timid, 
and  liable  to  be  frightened  out  of  their  senses  by 
any  unusual  object  in  motion  around  them,  and  thus 
jump  about  in  such  a  manner  as  to  endanger  both 
carriage  and  occupants.  But  if  the  driver  could 
merely  turn  the  horse's  head  so  that  the  blinders 
would  prevent  his  seeing  the  object,  and  could  for- 

187 


His   Wisdom    the   Defender 

cibly  keep  him  from  looking  at  it,  then  the  horse, 
although  if  he  could  be  said  to  know  anything  must 
have  known  that  the  dreadful  thing  was  still  there, 
was  immediately  reassured.  In  fact,  he  feared  only 
what  he  could  see,  not  what  he  knew  to  exist  out  of 
his  sight. 

It  was  a  good  deal  the  same  way  with  the  world 
at  this  most  critical  moment  in  its  history.  What  it 
could  see  was  one  man  in  possession  of  the  power  of 
doing  almost  anything  he  pleased  to  or  with  his 
fellow-men.  This  caused  it  universal  concern,  and 
so  it  wanted  him  deprived  of  his  power.  The  world 
knew  well  that  if  this  power  was  taken  from  him,  and 
placed  in  the  hands  of  any  nation  or  of  any  combi- 
nation of  nations,  the  case  would  be  yet  worse,  be- 
cause, while  an  individual  might  lead  a  nation  to 
conquest,  he  could  not  well  engage  in  conquest  him- 
self without  having  a  nation  behind  him.  But  this 
greater  danger  was  not  existent  at  the  moment,  and 
so  was  relegated  to  the  background.  The  newspapers, 
with  the  Herald  at  their  head,  living  on  excitement, 
poured  forth  an  unceasing  stream  of  rumors,  reports, 
and  suggestions  as  to  what  Campbell  intended  to 
do  or  might  do  or  had  done,  and  added  to  the  tur- 
moil and  uncertainty  by  contradicting  each  other,  not 
to  say  themselves,  as  often  as  possible.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  Herald  article  had  much  the  ef- 
fect of  the  appearance  of  a  wolf  in  the  midst  of  a 
flock  of  sheep.  But  what  was  to  be  done  ? 

At  first  nothing  definite  was  proposed.  But  in 
188 


Our  Hero  Makes  a  Clean  Breast 

a  couple  of  days  the  scattered  thoughts  of  the  fright- 
ened public  began  to  take  a  common  direction,  and 
loud  calls  were  made  on  the  President  to  send  a 
regiment  of  soldiers  to  Campbelltown  and  take  pos- 
session of  the  entire  place,  its  owner  included.  What 
good  this  would  do  when  the  owner  could  escape 
through  the  air  with  as  many  motes  as  he  might 
choose  to  take,  and,  if  his  intentions  were  really 
those  attributed  to  him,  could  do  what  he  pleased  to 
his  assailants,  no  one  stopped  to  inquire.  Curiously 
enough,  for  some  twenty-four  hours  a  number  of 
European  journals  joined  in  this  cry.  But  it  only 
took  them  one  day  to  see  that  such  a  proceeding, 
if  it  were  successful,  would  only  result  in  placing 
the  destiny  of  Europe  in  the  hands  of  the  most 
powerful  and  united  country  in  the  world,  which, 
though  noted  for  its  justice  and  respect  for  inter- 
national law,  had  for  half  a  century  been  ambitious 
to  rule.  Then  the  cry  changed  to  one  for  a  union 
of  European  nations  to  offer  an  unbroken  front  to 
any  invasion  or  attack  that  might  hereafter  be  at- 
tempted either  by  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  or  the 
American  government. 

What  increased  Campbell's  depression  was  that  he 
stood  alone,  without,  so  far  as  he  knew,  either  support 
or  sympathy  from  any  quarter  whatsoever.  Gheen 
was  the  only  man  completely  acquainted  with  his 
plans;  and  he  was  only  a  trusted  assistant — in  no 
way  a  representative  man. 

Winthrop,  on  whom  he  expected  most  to  rely,  was 
189 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

absent  on  his  European  mission.  He  had  visited 
London,  Paris,  Madrid,  Eome,  and  Vienna,  and  was 
now  in  Berlin  conferring  with  German  publicists. 
In  each  capital  visited  he  had  selected  a  few  of  the 
most  sagacious  and  enlightened  professors  of  inter- 
national law,  one  or  two  of  whom  were  to  be  invited 
to  the  conference  which  Campbell  had  planned  to 
hold.  Four  of  these  men,  from  England,  France, 
and  Italy,  were  with  him  as  the  nucleus  of  the  pro- 
posed assemblage.  His  plan  was  to  go  from  Berlin 
to  St.  Petersburg,  and  thence  to  China  and  Japan. 

Campbell's  idea  was  that,  as  the  whole  subject  was 
thought  over  and  talked  over  by  these  men,  the  ab- 
solute necessity  of  a  universal  disarmament  and  aban- 
donment of  war  would  be  evident.  Then  the  way  in 
which  this  could  be  brought  about  would  be  discussed 
from  day  to  day.  The  international  rules  which 
he  had  long  been  thinking  over  would*  be  laid  before 
them ;  and  he  was  sure  that  the  more  these  rules  were 
examined  and  discussed,  the  more  apparent  would 
be  their  wisdom,  feasibility,  and  justice,  if  only  na- 
tions could  be  brought  to  accept  them.  A  distinct 
goal  being  thus  brought  plainly  in  sight,  the  method 
of  reaching  it  would  be  the  next  subject  of  study. 
When  all  other  means  had  been  shown  impracticable 
or  doubtful,  then  would  Campbell  for  the  first  time 
propose  his  drastic  plan  of  using  force.  Severe, 
though  this  measure  might  be,  it  would  only  be  di- 
rected towards  the  enforcement  of  written  law. 

Such  being  the  case,  he  had  not  fully  unfolded  his 
190 


Our   Hero   Makes  a   Clean   Breast 

plans,  even  to  Winthrop.  And  now  the  latter  was 
away  on  his  mission  when  his  counsel  was  most 
wanted. 

A  change  of  programme  was  necessary.  The 
Herald  article  had  precipitated  a  crisis  in  which  the 
well-considered  and  leisurely  proceedings  he  had 
intended  were  impossible.  He  must  either  retire 
or  go  on  as  rapidly  as  possible  at  all  hazards.  The 
day  after  the  visit  of  the  ambassadors  he  telegraphed 
Winthrop  to  return  immediately,  bringing  with  him 
for  consultation  such  of  the  publicists  as  were  will- 
ing to  come.  The  message  was  not  unexpected  by 
the  recipient,  and  the  second  morning  after  the 
Friede  was  at  Campbelltown,  with  Winthrop  and 
the  five  European  professors.  The  two  leaders  met 
in  Campbell's  private  office.  The  first  greetings 
were  exchanged. 

"  Well !  you  have  set  the  world  in  an  uproar." 

"  I  cannot  deny  the  impeachment.  The  question 
is,  what  am  I  to  do?" 

"  The  situation  seems  to  me  a  very  difficult  and 
perplexing  one.  I  hope  you  have  somie  way  of 
getting  out  of  it." 

"  My  reason  and  my  feelings  are  so  much  at  vari- 
ance that  I  find  my  resolution  trembling  in  the  bal- 
ance. I  have  sent  for  you  because  I  need  sympathy 
as  no  man  before  ever  needed  it.  I  hope  I  may  add 
support  also,  but  I  am  not  yet  sure  whether  you  are 
ready  to  support  all  my  plans." 

"  I  can  speak  better  when  I  know  them." 
191 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

"  Let  me  repeat  what  I  said  to  you  the  day  of  the 
launching.  I  told  you  my  conviction  that  the  more 
firm  and  aggressive  my  policy,  so  long  as  I  keep 
within  the  bounds  of  law,  the  better  for  humanity. 
Under  our  system  of  international  law,  the  first 
nation  that  can  get  possession  of  a  fleet  of  motes  will 
have  power  to  make  all  other  nations  its  vassals. 
Its  right  to  do  this  if  it  can  is  recognized.  To  clar- 
ify our  ideas,  and  not  mislead  you,  let  me  say  that 
this  law  was  not  altogether  bad  in  the  past,  because 
the  nation  that  could  overcome  in  battle  was  the  one 
that  possessed  in  the  highest  degree  those  qualities 
of  intellect,  enterprise,  courage,  and  patriotism 
which  fitted  it  to  rule  weaker  peoples  for  their  good. 
But  this  is  no  longer  the  case  when  the  conqueror 
is  merely  the  first  nation  that  chances  to  get  a  fleet 
of  motes.  We  must,  therefore,  secure  the  indepen- 
dence of  nations  and  peoples  by  law. 

"  Now,  we  cannot  discuss  the  situation  profitably 
unless  we  have  some  previously  defined  basis  to  start 
from.  Allow  me,  therefore,  to  say  that  I  have  for 
years  past — in  fact,  ever  since  I  discovered  that 
motes  were  possible — been  perfecting  a  system  of 
laws  to  govern  the  relations  of  nations.  I  want 
you  to  study  them,  and  tell  me  what  you  think  of 
them.  I  also  want  you  to  submit  them  to'  the  coun- 
sellors you  have  brought  from  Europe,  to  be  dis- 
cussed and  amended  by  them.  Here  they  are ;  read 
them." 

Winthrop  read  aloud: 

192 


Our  Hero  Makes  a  Clean  Breast 

"  '  Article  1. — There  shall  be  no  more  war.' 

"  An  excellent  provision  if  you  could  enforce  it. 
But  how  are  you  going  to  prevent  nations  from  going 
to  war?  What  are  armies  and  navies  for  except 
to  fight?" 

"  I  am  glad  you  put  the  question  in  that  form,  be- 
cause that  is  just  what  I  am  asking  myself.  Now 
read  on  arid  see  my  answer." 

"  '  Article  2. — There  shall  hereafter  be  no  armies 
or  navies  except  such  as  shall  be  necessary  to  the  pro- 
tection of  life  and  property  within  the  state  to  which 
they  belong.' 

"  This  is  also  very  good,  but  how  are  you  ever 
going  to  induce  nations  to  give  up  armies  and  navies  ? 
One  will  always  be  waiting  for  another  to  disband 
first,  even  after  they  all  agree  to  disband.  Perhaps 
in  a  few  hundred  years  they  will  do  it,  little  by  little, 
but  in  our  time  never !" 

"  First  let  me  ask :  will  it  be  a  good  thing,  under 
present  circumstances,  if  war,  armies,  and  navies  be 
all  abolished,  and  the  relations  of  nations  governed 
bylaw?" 

"  To  that  question  there  can  be  no  two  answers. 
My  objection  is  not  to  the  desirability,  but  to  the 
possibility  of  the  end." 

"  Very  well ;  suppose  I  abolish  the  armies  and 
navies  of  Europe  by  force  ?" 

Winthrop  looked  at  his  companion  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Why,  my  dear  friend,  you  nearly  take  my  breath 
w  193 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

away.  Is  this  really  the  object  of  keeping  Gheen's 
expedition  out  of  sight  and  hearing?" 

"It  is!" 

"  But  you  told  the  ambassadors  it  was  not  armed." 

"  It  is  not.  I  do  not  propose  to  use  a  weapon  of 
any  sort,  except  in  self-defence.  I  have  for  a  year 
been  perfecting  my  plan  in  the  minutest  details. 
Nothing  remains  but  to  put  it  into  execution,  if  I 
can." 

"  But  what  right  have  you,  a  private  individual, 
to  make  war — for  war  it  will  be — on  your  own  ac- 
count ?" 

"  So  far  as  existing  law  goes,  none  whatever — no 
more  than  I  have  to  batter  down  the  door  of  a  man's 
house  and  enter  it  by  force  to  keep  it  from  burning 
down.  I  hold  that  the  might  which  God  has  placed 
in  my  hands  makes  right  in  such  an  emergency  as 
the  present  one." 

"  But  do  you  seriously  believe  that  you  have  the 
physical  force  to  disarm  all  Europe?" 

"  I  cannot  speak  with  entire  confidence,  but  I 
think  I  have.  If  I  cannot  do  more,  I  can  at  least  de- 
monstrate the  uselessness  of  the  existing  armies,  and 
thus  pave  the  way  for  voluntary  disbandment.  I  feel 
confident  I  can  bring  the  nations  of  Europe  to  terms 
of  some  kind." 

The  speaker  rose  to  his  feet  and  continued  his 
discourse  with  an  energy  that  took  his  interlocutor 
quite  by  surprise. 

"  Let  us  rise  above  our  petty  surroundings  and 
194 


Our  Hero  Makes  a  Clean  Breast 

look  into  the  future.  If  I  succeed  in  my  efforts ;  if 
I  induce  or  force  the  nations  to  accept  the  principle 
that  all  international  differences  are  to  be  settled  by 
impartial  tribunals  of  statesmen  and  publicists;  if 
I  thus  introduce  an  era  of  universal  peace — what 
will  the  world  of  the  future  say?  What  will  you 
say?" 

Winthrop  also  arose,  and  paced  the  floor  in  medi- 
tation. Then  he  began  to  be  imbued  with  some,  of 
the  feelings  of  his  companion. 

"  You  will  be  the  greatest  benefactor  of  the  hu- 
man race  that  the  modern  world  has  seen !" 

"  That  is  enough.  Now  let  me  tell  you  what  I 
want  of  you.  I  have  long  felt  that  if  I  should  suc- 
ceed in  having  my  plans  accepted  by  the  world,  I 
would  want  you  as  my  leading  official  adviser,  for  a 
time  at  least,  perhaps  for  good.  Will  you  accept 
a  position  that  I  hope  will  be  among  the  most  brill- 
iant the  world  can  offer,  if  the  time  should  come  ?" 

"  Is  it  necessary  to  decide  in  advance  ?" 

"  No,  not  absolutely.  I  only  want  to  know  your 
sentiments,  because  I  want  your  help  in  the  mean- 
time. Let  me  explain.  You  know  that  to-morrow 
I  am  to  meet  the  foreign  representatives  and  the  lead- 
ing dignitaries  of  this  country.  I  shall  make  what 
will  be  as  good  as  a  clean  breast  of  my  plans,  omit- 
ting details.  I  want  you  to  be  present  and  receive 
as  my  representative.  Immediately  after  my  ad- 
dress I  shall  disappear.  Remember,  above  all,  that  I 
do  not  want  to  involve  you  in  any  way.  I  shall  tread 

195 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

the  wine-press  alone,  and  you  can  proclaim  your- 
self as  in  no  way  responsible  for  me  or  my  doings. 
I  want  you  to  stay  here,  or  at  Washington,  as  you 
deem  best,  and  see  people.  But  first  of  all  I  shall 
leave  with  you  a  number  of  printed  copies  of  the  pro- 
posed laws.  I  want  you  to  lay  them  before  our 
counsellors,  and  invite  them  to  study  and  perfect 
them  by  amendments.  Very  likely  they  will  decline, 
lest  their  own  governments  hold  them  guilty  of  high- 
treason.  If  so,  let  them  return  to  their  homes,  and 
you  can  make  the  laws  public  as  soon  as  you  please. 
Before  our  own  authorities  you  can  disclaim  all  re- 
sponsibility for  my  acts.  You  have  neither  aided 
nor  abetted  them  in  any  way.  You  are  simply  one 
of  my  acquaintances — perhaps  the  one  who  has  most 
influence  with  me.  I  do  not  know  whether  you  can 
reach  me  by  telegraph ;  when  you  can  you  may  send 
me  news,  but  I  am  not  desirous  of  any  word  of  dis- 
couragement." 

"  Allow  me  one  word  before  we  part,"  said  Win- 
throp.  "  You  are  not  sure  of  success ;  is  there  not 
something  desperate  in  your  resolve  to  risk  every- 
thing in  a  single  bold  venture?  What  will  become 
of  yon — what  will  become  of  your  motes,  what  will 
become  of  all  of  us  if  you  are  driven  to  succumb? 
Is  it  not  better,  after  all,  to  wait,  watch  the  course 
of  events,  and  make  some  arrangement  with  the 
world?" 

"  Here  again  you  fail  to  grasp  the  logic  of  the 
situation.  The  world  will  come  to  no  conclusion 

196 


Our  Hero  Makes  a  Clean  Breast 

until  it  knows  by  actual  experience  what  the  motes 
can  do.  If  I  fail,  if  I  am  forced  to  desist  from  mj 
attempt,  I  can  still  say,  *  Behold  what  a  terrible 
power  you  see  before  you.  What  will  you  do  to 
regulate  it  and  insure  that  it  shall  be  used  only  for 
the  benefit  of  humanity  ?'  Then,  especially  with  my 
solution  of  the  problem  before  it,  the  world  will  cer- 
tainly be  in  a  better  position  to  reach  a  conclusion 
than  it  is  now.  I  will  explain  this  view  in  my  ad- 
dress to-morrow.  I  do  not  see  that  we  can  profitably 
discuss  the  subject  any  further  at  present.  Please 
return  to  the  Concordia  to-morrow  at  one  o'clock 
and  go  with  me  to  Washington.  I  shall  see  that  our 
publicists  are  included  in  the  invitation.  Till  then, 
adieu." 

Just  before  the  appointed  hour  the  Concordia 
was  seen  hovering  over  the  State  Department,  her 
motto,  freshly  gilt,  shining  in  the  sun.  She  came 
slowly  and  majestically  to  the  ground  in  front  of  the 
building,  and  then  threw  out  sumptuous  steps,  cover- 
ed with  velvet,  on  which  the  guests  could  mount  into 
her.  A  crowd  of  policemen  kept  order  in  the  pre- 
cincts, and  the  attendants  of  the  Concordia,  in  the 
white  livery  of  the  Owner's  messengers,  challenged 
all  who  came  to  the  steps,  admitting  only  the  invitees. 
Arriving  on  the  main  deck  the  guests  were  ushered 
into  a  spacious  room  fitted  up  with  a  splendor  which 
must  have  required  many  months  of  work. 

Here  they  were  received  by  Mr.  Winthrop,  who 
for  the  moment,  represented  the  Owner  of  the  Motes, 

197 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

with  a  ceremonious  formality  quite  unlocked  for. 
An  usher  inquired  the  official  rank  of  each  guest, 
and  introduced  him  by  his  proper  title. 

First  came  his  Excellency,  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Then  the  Honorable  Secretary  of 
State  of  the  United  States.  He  was  followed  by  the 
senior  member  of  the  diplomatic  corps,  his  Excel- 
lency the  Ambassador  Extraordinary  and  Minister 
Plenipotentiary  of  his  Majesty  the  Czar  of  all  the 
Russias.  And  so  on  to  the  end. 

The  formality  and  the  temporary  absence  of  the 
principal  figure  caused  some  uneasiness  among  the 
foreign  guests.  If  a  coup  d'etat — the  sudden  as- 
sumption of  a  more  than  imperial  authority  over  the 
affairs  of  the  world — was  really  intended,  a  better 
opportunity  could  not  have  been  found.  All  gov- 
ernments important  enough  to  be  in  diplomatic  com- 
munication with  the  leading  country  were  represent- 
ed here  in  the  persons  of  their  ambassadors.  Could 
it  be  that  the  latter  were  entrapped  into  something 
in  the  nature  of  a  coronation  ?  Would  they  find  the 
Owner  of  the  Motes  in  the  gorgeous  robes  of  his  self- 
assumed  office  ?  All  that  Winthrop  could  do  to  allay 
their  apprehensions  was  to  excuse  the  momentary  ab- 
sence of  the  Owner,  who  was  in  the  adjoining  saloon 
preparing  his  address. 

Great,  therefore,  was  the  relief  of  all  when  the 
man  they  were  looking  for  stepped  in,  as  plainly  clad 
as  the  rest.  Even  the  red  button  of  the  Legion  of 
Honor  of  France,  which  he  habitually  wore  on  cere- 

198 


Our  Hero  Makei  a  Clean  Breast 

monial  occasions,  was,  with  obvious  propriety,  re- 
placed by  a  rose.  Each  guest  was  presented,  then 
the  whole  party  followed  Campbell  into  the  saloon. 
At  the  farther  end  stood  a  table,  at  which  two  secre- 
taries were  seated,  one  of  whom  had  a  pile  of  papers 
before  him.  Beyond  the  table  was  seen  in  artisti- 
cally illuminated  letters  the  lines: 

"When  the  war-drum  throbs  no  longer  and  the  battle  flag  is 

furled, 
In  the  Parliament  of  Man,  the  Federation  of  the  world." 

Campbell  took  his  seat  at  the  table,  while  the 
guests  were  being  seated  around  the  saloon.  When 
all  was  still  he  arose,  amid  breathless  silence,  and 
began  to  read  his  address  from  the  printed  sheets, 
handed  him  by  one  of  the  secretaries,  while  the 
other  took  each  sheet  as  its  reading  was  completed. 

He  began  with  picturing  the  extraordinary  crisis 
which  the  building  of  the  motes  was  to  make  in  the 
history  of  the  world  and  the  revolution  which  they 
would  necessarily  create  in  the  relations  of  nations. 
The  whole  picture  was  drawn  from  the  point  of  view 
of  an  impartial  looker-on  belonging  to  no  one  coun- 
try, and  not  even  bound  to  any  one  stage  of  civili- 
zation. Jew  and  Gentile,  bond  and  free,  European, 
African,  and  Asiatic  were  all  considered  as  having 
equal  rights.  Then  the  results  of  using  motes  in 
warfare  were  touched  upon.  The  world  at  large 
had  already  seen  these  results  so  clearly  that  there 
was  no  need  of  depicting  them.  One  thing  was  evi- 
dent— there  could  logically  be  only  one  more  war. 

199 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

The  outcome  of  the  first  war  would  be  to  make  the 
conquering  nation,  whichever  it  might  be,  the  mas- 
ter of  the  world.  That  nation  would  not  be  the 
strongest  or  the  most  civilized,  but  simply  the  one 
that  should  first  get  possession  of  a  fleet  of  motes. 
The  reasons  why  such  a  result  was  not  to  be  tolerated 
were  fully  set  forth. 

Was  it  then  possible  to  make  any  arrangements 
by  which  the  practice  of  war  should  be  continued, 
and  yet  the  motes  be  neutralized  by  an  international 
agreement  that  they  should  never  be  used  in  war- 
fare? If  such  an  agreement  was  made,  would  all 
implicitly  rely  on  its  performance? 

Who  could  decide  what  "  use  in  warfare  "  might 
mean?  It  would  doubtless  be  easy  to  say  that  no 
troops  will  be  transported  in  the  motes  under  any 
circumstances,  but  how  would  it  be  with  military 
supplies  ?  How  would  it  be  with  supplies  necessary 
for  defending  a  port  ?  Would  there  not  be  something 
illogical  in  a  people  submitting  to  seeing  its  territory 
invaded,  its  fortifications  bombarded,  and  its  cities 
occupied  by  a  foreign  power,  when  it  had  a  most 
efficient  and  certain  means  of  defence  within  its 
reach,  which,  however,  it  had  agreed  not  to  use? 
Self-preservation  is  the  first  law  of  nature,  for  a 
nation  as  for  an  individual.  "  I  ask  you  on  your 
consciences,  Excellencies  and  Gentlemen,  whether 
any  one  of  the  nations  which  you  represent  would 
wage  war  upon  another  having  in  its  hands  the 
means  to  repel  attack,  with  entire  confidence  that  such 

200 


Our  Hero  Makes  a  Clean  Breast 

means  would  not  be  called  into  requisition?  I  am 
sure  your  answer  would  be  in  the  negative ;  and  this 
would  be  equivalent  to  admitting  that  war  is  no  long- 
er to  be  waged.  If,  then,  we  are  to  have  no  more 
war,  are  we  still  to  have  armies  ?  These  have  no 
purpose  except  to  fight.  If  a  nation  is  resolved  to 
fight  no  more,  it  has  no  use  for  an  army.  To  main- 
tain one  would  be  making  known  to  all  other  nations 
that  it  still  had  war  in  view.  No  obvious  course 
seems  open  short  of  all  nations  coming  together  and 
agreeing  each  and  all  to  absolutely  abolish  their 
military  establishments  ? 

"  Such  a  course  cannot  for  a  moment  be  expected 
of  them.  ~No  matter  what  agreement  may  be  made, 
every  one  will  wait  for  the  others.  It  is  impos- 
sible that  all  should  keep  step  in  full  confidence  that 
every  other  would  accept  the  situation  without  reserve. 
No  government  would  feel  justified  in  going  before 
its  people  with  a  proposition  to  disband  all  its  armies 
unconditionally,  until  it  has  satisfied  itself  as  to  the 
means  of  defence  it  might  then  have  against  en- 
croachments. 

"  What,  then,  is  the  situation  ?  The  world  stands 
on  a  slumbering  volcano,  whose  fires  it  has  no  means 
to  quench,  and  from  which  it  has  no  avenue  of  escape 
by  its  own  act.  Who  brought  it  there?  The  man 
who  has  the  honor  to  address  you.  What  is  the  duty 
of  one  that  has  brought  on  such  a  crisis  ?  To  carry 
the  world  safely  through  it  if  he  can.  What  can  he 
do? 

201 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

'  The  answer  is  uncertain  until  he  makes  the  at- 
tempt. It  is  still  uncertain  whether  I  possess  the 
power  to  disarm  and  disband  the  armies  of  the  world 
and  to  haul  its  navies  ashore." 

These  words  produced  among  those  who  heard 
them  what  might  be  described  as  a  shock  of  silence. 
Every  one  started  as  if  by  an  electric  stroke,  but  ut- 
tered no  word.  The  speaker  continued : 

"  But  if  I  should  possess  this  power,  then  the 
question  will  arise  whether  the  best  interests  of  hu- 
manity do  not  demand  its  immediate  exercise. 

"  If  I  should  now  proceed,  without  bloodshed,  to 
disarm  and  disband  the  armies  of  the  world,  to  haul 
its  navies  ashore,  to  assume  for  myself  and  my  suc- 
cessors in  office  the  title  and  functions  of  Defender  of 
the  Peace  of  the  World;  as  such  Defender  to  move 
all  nations  to  the  establishment  of  a  central  tribunal 
for  the  arbitration  of  all  international  questions,  and 
for  the  exercise  of  supreme  power  over  the  system  of 
international  communication  which  I  am  now  or- 
ganizing— if  I  should  thus  put  an  end  to  war  and 
assure  to  all  nations  and  peoples  the  blessings  of  se- 
curity and  peace  forever,  then,  whatever  my  con- 
temporaries might  think  of  my  acts,  would  not  all 
future  generations  call  me  blessed  ? 

"  Gentlemen,  I  am  not  here  to  conceal  any  thought 
from  you.  If  you  should  ask  me  how  I  think  and 
feel  on  this  question,  I  would  answer  thus:  When 
I  reflect,  on  the  one  hand,  how  great  the  labor  and 
how  heavy  the  responsibility  which  I  should  assume 

202 


Our  Hero  Makes  a  Clean  Breast 

by  the  policy  I  have  indicated;  and,  on  the  other, 
how  easy  it  is  to  let  events  take  their  course  and 
leave  humanity  to  guard  its  own  interests — I  shrink 
from  the  task.  But  when  I  reflect  that  perhaps  it  is 
within  my  power  so  to  guide  the  course  of  events  that 
never  again  in  human  history  shall  father,  son,  or 
brother  take  leave  of  his  loved  ones  to  expose  his 
person  in  battle;  that  never  again  shall  a  seaport 
fear  the  bombardment  of  a  navy;  that  never  again 
shall  a  city  fear  the  attack  of  an  army;  that  never 
again  shall  a  people  groan  under  a  war  tax;  that 
never  again  shall  a  nation  tremble  for  its  indepen- 
dence— I  feel  moved  to  action  by  a  power  which  I 
doubt  my  ability  to  resist." 

These  concluding  words  were  spoken  with  a  pathos 
which  added  to  their  force,  and  at  the  same  time, 
if  it  were  possible,  calmed  the  feelings  which  they 
were  fitted  to  excite.  Printed  copies  of  the  ad- 
dress were  circulated  among  the  guests.  The 
latter  were  so  moved  that  they  scarcely  knew  what 
to  do  first.  As  a  matter  of  official  duty  it  was  neces- 
sary for  the  ambassadors  to  telegraph  the  address  im- 
mediately to  their  respective  governments.  But  they 
also  wanted  to  confer  together.  To  some  it  seemed 
necessary  to  give  a  word  of  warning  to  the  Owner  of 
the  Motes  as  to  the  grave  consequences  of  entering 
upon  such  a  policy  as  he  had  indicated.  A  few  hur- 
ried words  were  exchanged  with  the  President  and 
the  Secretary  of  State.  All  the  ambassadors  had 
time  to  say  was,  "  You  had  better  not  attempt  it ; 

203 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

count  the  cost.  Mr.  President,  Mr.  Secretary,  the 
motes  are  under  the  control  of  a  citizen  of  your 
country ;  give  him  due  warning." 

The  President  simply  remarked,  "  I  trust  you  will 
listen  to  what  will  be  said  on  the  subject.  Let  the 
Secretary  of  State  speak." 

"  Mr.  Campbell,"  said  the  Secretary,  "  when  you 
were  in  my  office  a  few  days  since  I  asked  you  as  to 
your  reason  for  maintaining  in  such  secrecy,  at  some 
distant  and  unknown  point,  the  expedition  which  you 
had  sent  out.  Your  answer  to  my  question  was 
evasive.  Now  an  answer  is  no  longer  necessary. 
We  conclude,  and  the  world  will  conclude,  that  that 
expedition  is  an  armed  one,  intended  to  attack  coun- 
tries with  which  the  United  States  is  at  peace.  You 
are  a  man  of  intelligence  and  learning,  and  are  doubt- 
less acquainted  with  the  neutrality  laws  of  your 
country.  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  go  outside  the  usual 
limits  of  my  official  position  and  ask  you  to  reflect 
upon  the  consequences  of  such  an  act  as  you  propose. 
You  know  what  my  painful  duty  will  be  should  you 
enter  upon  it,  and  you  cannot  need  any  assurance 
from  me  that  it  will  be  performed,  come  what  may. 
We  must  now  leave  you  to  your  own  reflections." 

Again  to  Campbell's  ear  the  voice,  audible  to  none 
but  him,  repeated  its  maxim :  "  He  who  would  wield 
the  power  of  a  god  must  bear  the  responsibility  of  a 
god." 

In  the  excitement  of  the  moment  the  visitors  had 
overlooked  a  feature  of  their  reception  in  which  they 

204 


Our  Hero  Makes  a  Clean  Breast 

might  have  seen  some  significance.  Among  the  two 
or  three  people  who  were  in  the  room  when  they 
were  presented  to  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  was  one 
of  the  leading  artists  of  New  York,  who  quietly 
remained  in  the  background  during  the  entire  course 
of  the  proceedings.  He  was  behind  a  screen  at 
Campbell's  right  in  the  farther  corner  of  the  room. 
His  head  could  be  seen  over  the  screen,  behind  which 
he  was  sketching  the  outlines  of  a  picture.  This 
was  the  origin  of  what  is  now  one  of  the  historic  pict- 
ures of  the  world.  The  original  is  well  known  to 
every  visitor  who  has  called  at  the  Defender's  Palace 
in  Uraniberg;  a  replica  is  one  of  the  great  attrac- 
tions at  the  Metropolitan  Museum  in  New  York. 

As  soon  as  the  last  visitor  had  departed  the  Con- 
cordia  sailed  away  for  Campbelltown.  There  Camp- 
bell had  everything  ready  for  the  instant  departure 
of  a  second  expedition  under  his  personal  command. 
No  one  was  surprised  when,  shortly  after  dark,  a 
hundred  motes,  most  of  which  had  been  fitting  out 
for  several  days,  rose  in  the  air  and  disappeared 
towards  the  north. 

The  departure  was  of  course  telegraphed  imme- 
diately to  all  the  journals  of  the  world.  The  ur- 
gent inquiries  made  by  correspondents  and  others 
of  the  superintendent  left  in  charge  at  Campbell- 
town  failed  to  reveal  anything  further  as  the  in- 
tentions or  projected  movements  of  the  Owner.  Win- 
throp  alone  was  in  possession  of  the  essential  part 
of  the  secret,  and  he  refused  to  say  anything. 

205 


XIII 
The  Mysterious  Expedition 

WE  now  return  to  the  fleet  of  motes,  number- 
ing more  than  two  hundred,  which  so  mys- 
teriously disappeared  from  the  channel  in 
which  they  were  moored  more  than  a  month  before 
the  date  of  the  events  recorded  in  the  last  chapter. 
The  boats,  as  they  were  naturally  called,  were  a  mys- 
tery to  all  concerned,  except  their  owner,  Captain 
Gheen,  and  perhaps  two  or  three  of  the  leading 
Seraphs.  As  they  floated  they  were  arranged  in 
rank  and  file;  each  was  chained  to  the  one  in  front, 
the  one  behind,  and  the  one  on  each  side  of  it,  so  that 
it  was  impossible  for  any  one  to  escape  from  the 
serried  mass.  For  several  days  the  work  of  loading 
them  had  been  going  on.  Not  only  every  article 
which  one  could  imagine  to  be  required  on  any  sort 
of  an  expedition,  but  countless  mysterious  boxes, 
some  large,  some  small,  some  light,  some  heavy,  were 
put  aboard.  That  after  being  thus  loaded  all  the 
motes  seemed  to  float  as  lightly  as  swans,  was  only 
one  of  the  many  mysteries  connected  with  this  singu- 
lar affair.  For  several  nights  the  Seraphs  and  work- 

206 


The  Mysterious  Expedition 

men  selected  for  the  expedition  had  been  required 
to  sleep  on  board  in  their  respective  stations,  even 
when  employed  at  their  regular  duties  during  the 
day.  And  yet,  in  the  absence  of  any  visible  mode  of 
propulsion,  it  could  scarcely  be  believed  that  the  ex- 
pedition was  really  going  to  start  soon. 

Each  boat  had  a  captain,  a  lieutenant,  and  ten  or 
twelve  men.  In  each  was  a  system  of  levers  work- 
ed by  an  electric  current,  starting  from  the  cap- 
tain's mote  in  the  centre  of  the  fleet.  To  guard 
against  any  possible  failure  of  the  current  to 
move  these  levers,  it  was  explained  to  each  cap- 
tain that  on  a  signal  being  given  he  was  to  see  that 
the  levers  took  their  proper  position.  This  was  done 
so  often  without  any  effect  occurring  that  captain 
and  men  looked  upon  the  process  with  entire  in- 
difference. The  sharp  edge  of  curiosity  as  to  the 
object  of  such  eccentric  proceedings  had  been  worn 
away  by  custom  until  everybody  went  through  his 
part  with  an  approach  to  stolidity. 

On  the  eventful  night  the  men  had  nearly  all  re- 
tired to  their  respective  bunks,  while  the  captains, 
as  usual,  were  watching  the  levers.  A  slight  motion 
was  given,  when,  to  the  surprise  of  the  few  who 
were  awake  and  looking  out,  the  whole  fleet  started 
down  the  stream,  with  about  the  swiftness  of  an  aver- 
age steamer.  In  an  hour  the  mouth  of  the  Potomac  was 
reached,  and  the  fleet  was  making  its  way  into  the 
Chesapeake.  Gheen  stood  on  the  deck  of  his  mote, 
peering  round  to  see  if  any  stray  boat  might  be  in 

207 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

sight  to  watch  his  movements.  Seeing  none,  he  gave 
the  signal  for  setting  the  levers,  and  then  touched 
the  electric  button  which  moved  them.  Those  who 
were  still  awake  felt  so  singular  a  motion  that  many 
jumped  out  of  their  hunks  and  mounted  to  the  deck 
to  ascertain  the  cause.  To  the  astonishment  of  all, 
the  water  was  no  longer  to  be  seen.  The  whole  fleet 
seemed  to  be  in  a  dark  cloud.  The  astonishment 
among  the  lookers-out  was  such  that  they  could  not 
cry  to  their  companions.  Such  exclamations,  in  a  low 
voice,  as,  "  Bedad,  we're  bewitched  1"  "  Holy  Mither, 
where  are  we  ?"  "  Virgin  Mary,  have  mercy  on  us !" 
were  all  that  one  could  have  heard  uttered. 

One  poor  man  jumped  overboard  in  his  fright, 
and  of  course  was  not  again  heard  of.  Very  soon, 
however,  the  motion  was  so  smooth  that,  swift  though 
it  was,  the  sleepers  were  not  disturbed  by  it.  Short- 
ly the  whole  fleet  was  above  the  clouds,  making  its 
swift  way  to  the  north.  It  was  extremely  desirable 
that  the  journey  should  be  made  unseen  from  the 
earth. 

The  starting  hour  had  been  so  arranged  that  it 
was  hoped  the  northern  limit  of  the  Canadian  border 
would  be  passed  before  sunrise.  Fortunately  the 
morning  was  cloudy  in  the  region  through  which 
the  motes  ran,  so  that,  being  above  the  clouds,  they 
passed  on  from  below  unperceived.  In  the  afternoon 
the  fleet  was  over  Hudson's  Bay  and  proceeded  to 
follow  the  northern  coast  of  Smith  Strait,  keeping 
a  sharp  lookout  to  avoid  the  possible  eyes  of  men  on 

208 


The  Mysterious  Expedition 

board  passing  vessels.  The  problem  was  to  get  as 
far  north  as  possible,  so  as  to  run  the  least  danger 
of  being  discovered  for  at  least  a  month,  and  to  find 
a  place  which  was  not  covered  with  snow.  A  map 
had  been  carefully  prepared  long  before,  showing  the 
location  of  all  the  trading  and  fur  posts  in  the  region. 
A  point  was  at  length  fixed  upon  which  seemed  to 
fulfil  the  necessary  conditions  as  well  as  could  be 
expected.  The  fleet,  its  motion  guided  by  the  ad- 
justing levers,  slowly  and  carefully  came  to  the 
ground.  Gheen  called  his  captains  together,  and  all 
joined  in  a  prayer-offering  of  heartfelt  thanks  for 
having  made  their  wonderful  journey  in  safety. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?"  was  demanded  of  Gheen 
on  all  sides. 

"  It  means,"  said  he,  "  that  we  are  the  pioneers 
of  a  new  dispensation;  that  we  are  to  inaugurate  a 
golden  age;  that,  if  we  are  true  to  each  other,  we 
shall  soon  be  among  the  greatest  men  of  the  world. 
More  than  that  I  cannot  now  tell  you.  Unload  the 
motes  and  pitch  the  tents." 

On  unloading,  wood  and  iron  for  huts  were  brought 
forth,  machinery  of  all  sorts  was  taken  out  and  put 
together,  and  comfortable  beds  were  found  and  put 
into  the  huts.  By  nightfall,  which,  at  that  season 
and  in  that  latitude,  did  not  occur  until  ten 
o'clock,  the  encampment  looked  as  if  much  of 
the  wealth  of  a  populous  city  had  been  sudden- 
ly poured  down  into  the  uninhabited  place.  As 
soon  as  possible  all  tried  to  sleep  as  best  they 
o  209 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

could,  either  in  the  tents  or  in  the  motes.  The  men, 
nine-tenths  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Emerald 
Isle,  had  been  so  much  fatigued  that  they  slept  sound- 
ly, regardless  of  the  morrow.  We  doubt  very  much 
whether  the  same  was  true  of  the  three  hundred 
Seraphs.  To  them  it  was  as  if  they  had  been  sud- 
denly transferred  to  some  new  world,  where  every- 
thing went  by  contraries.  They  puzzled  their 
brains  in  vain  to  divine  the  object  of  their  expedi- 
tion. But  all  had  pledged  their  honor  to  obey  orders 
and  ask  no  questions;  so  nothing  could  be  done  but 
await  developments. 

Next  morning  they  had  got  sufficiently  inured  to 
their  situation  to  at  least  recover  their  tranquillity. 
How  long  they  were  to  remain,  only  Gheen  and 
perhaps  two  or  three  others  knew,  but  the  pitching 
of  the  tents  had  shown  that  an  immediate  departure 
was  not  intended.  After  breakfast  the  work  of  un- 
loading the  motes  was  resumed.  Within  them  were 
found  the  dissected  parts  of  not  less  than  two  hun- 
dred daddies.  All  had  been  practised  in  putting 
these  together,  and  in  the  course  of  a  day  the  party 
had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  many  of  them  ready 
for  use,  so  far  as  externals  went.  But  to  all  appear- 
ance they  compared  with  those  in  the  Coliseum  only 
as  dead  men  would  compare  with  live  ones.  They 
lay  prone  on  the  ground  with  no  apparent  faculty 
of  life  or  motion.  The  general  idea  was  that  they 
needed  cords  with  which  to  be  suspended,  though 
of  what  use  they  could  be  even  then  no  one  could 

210 


The  Mysterious  Expedition 

divine.  Of  the  motes,  about  one-half  were  pierced 
with  openings  through  which  were  to  pass  the  linked 
arms,  which,  when  in  place,  would  turn  them  into 
the  centipedes  already  described.  Each  centipede 
had  its  arms  inside  the  mote  which  was  to  form  its 
body.  Taking  them  out  and  fitting  them  into  place 
occupied  the  rest  of  the  day.  The  party  went  to  bed 
that  night  without  seeing  any  more  light  on  the  prob- 
lem what  they  were  to  do. 

On  the  second  morning  a  number  of  articles  were 
unloaded  which,  if  possible,  were  even  more  puzzling 
than  those  already  brought  out.  They  consisted 
of  soft  gunny-bags,  about  a  foot  in  diameter  and  five 
feet  long,  each  of  which  was  stuffed  with  thin,  empty 
bottles.  Notwithstanding  the  delicacy  of  these  bot- 
tles, they  were  made  of  very  ordinary  glass,  like 
that  of  wine-bottles.  Each  was  about  four  inches 
in  diameter  and  a  foot  high,  so  that  it  would  hold 
almost  a  gallon.  A  number  of  the  men  were  em- 
ployed in  taking  them  out  of  the  bags  and  filling 
them  with  water,  corking  them  up  and  putting  them 
back  again  in  place.  When  properly  arranged  and 
tied  up,  each  bag,  stuffed  as  it  was  with  bottles,  could 
be  stood  erect. 

While  this  was  going  on  Gheen  informed  the 
Seraphs  that  their  principal  work  while  they  remain- 
ed at  the  station  would  be  the  practice  of  certain  evo- 
lutions. The  chains  by  which  the  motes  had  been 
fastened  together  had  been  removed  in  order  to  fa- 
cilitate the  unloading.  Now,  the  captains  were  told, 

211 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

each  mote  would  have  to  move  on  its  own  account, 
in  obedience  to  orders  from  headquarters.  They 
were  warned  in  no  case  to  go  more  than  a  mile  from 
the  central  station,  because  the  therm  with  which 
they  were  charged  had  been  so  nearly  consumed  by 
the  journey  that  it  might  give  out  at  any  moment. 
When  it  did  give  out,  it  could  be  renewed  by  heat 
generated  by  the  combustion  of  coal  which  had  been 
brought  along.  Until  this  was  done,  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  the  motes  to  go  any  great  distance. 

Before  operations  could  begin,  it  was  necessary 
to  charge  the  daddies  so  that  they  could  be  used. 
For  this  purpose  a  large  supply  of  levers  of  the  kind 
we  saw  in  the  workshop  at  Cambridge  four  years 
before  were  brought  into  requisition.  Two  pairs  of 
these  levers  were  placed  in  each  daddie.  A  Seraph 
crawled  into  the  hollow  through  the  head  and  soon 
saw  what  was  to  be  done  from  having  practised  in 
the  Coliseum.  As  a  precaution,  each  daddie  was 
first  tied  down  by  a  long  rope  to  prevent  the  possi- 
bility of  its  flying  off  into  space  and  never  being  seen 
again,  through  some  blunder  on  the  part  of  the  man 
inside  of  it.  The  daddie  first  stood  erect  and  then 
rose  into  the  air,  its  long  legs  dangling  below  it. 
It  was  manoeuvred  by  the  man  inside  of  it  until  it 
was  certain  that  the  method  of  managing  it  was  fully 
understood.  Then  it  came  to  the  ground,  the  tether 
which  fastened  it  was  cast  off,  and  in  its  place  an 
electric  wire  was  connected  with  a  system  of  keys 
inside  of  it.  The  other  end  of  this  wire  was  carried 

212 


The  Mysterious  Expedition 

to  a  centipede  and  then  connected  with  a  signal-board 
within  it.  In  this  way  the  man  in  the  daddie  could 
send  such  signals  as  he  desired  to  the  captain  of  the 
centipede,  who  was  to  stand  at  the  switchboard. 
Inside  the  daddie  the  electric  wire  was  wound  round 
a  roll,  so  that  it  could  be  drawn  in  or  pulled  out  at 
pleasure,  thus  permitting  of  the  daddie  being  either 
close  down  to  the  mote  or  at  a  height  of  several  hun- 
dred yards  in  the  air. 

To  communicate  orders  from  headquarters,  a  num- 
ber of  electric  syrens  had  been  provided.  The  larg- 
est of  these  were  on  board  of  Gheen's  mote.  They 
emitted  a  musical  note,  the  tone  of  which  could  be 
changed  at  pleasure,  so  as  to  play  any  required  tune. 
The  volume  of  sound  emitted  by  them  was  such  that 
they  could  be  heard  at  a  distance  of  from  one  to  two 
miles.  Twenty  of  the  daddies  were  supplied  with 
smaller  syrens,  by  which  any  signals  received  from 
the  great  ones  could  be  repeated.  A  system  of  num- 
bers was  devised,  so  that  every  man  in  charge  of  a 
daddie  or  a  mote  should  know  for  whom  an  order 
was  intended. 

When  everything  was  ready,  evolutions  were  be- 
gun. The  commanding  mote  took  its  position  half  a 
mile  in  the  air.  Practice  was  first  begun  with  a 
single  centipede.  When  the  latter  was  in  operation 
each  of  its  dozen  legs  was  worked  by  a  man  inside 
the  body  of  the  mote,  and  therefore  invisible.  The 
twelve  men  sat  in  two  rows,  six  on  each  side.  Along- 
side of  each  opening  through  which  an  arm  went  was 

213 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

a  small  round  hole,  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  in 
which  was  fitted  a  peculiar  binocular  telescope,  es- 
pecially designed  for  the  purpose  in  view.  By  put- 
ting his  eye  to  this  telescope,  the  man  who  was  man- 
aging the  arm  could  see  round  and  below  him  on 
the  outside.  At  the  word  of  command  the  mote 
rose  and  fell,  described  a  circle  in  one  direction  or 
another,  or  rested  on  the  ground  while  the  arms 
worked  in  the  air.  Everything  being  understood, 
the  gunny-bags,  with  their  strange  contents,  were 
stood  up  in  a  row,  about  four  feet  apart.  Every  one 
was  then  informed  that  a  centipede  was  to  approach 
these  bags,  seize  them  gently  in  its  tentacles,  lift  them 
into  the  air,  and  stand  them  on  the  deck  of  the  mote 
without  breaking  any  of  the  bottles.  This  took  a 
good  deal  of  practice,  and  so  many  bottles  were 
broken  in  the  beginning  that  new  bags  had  to  be 
several  times  filled.  Then  similar  practice  was  had 
in  putting  the  bags,  not  on  the  deck  of  the  centipede 
itself,  but  on  the  deck  of  another  mote.  The  first 
attempts  of  this  sort  were  so  destructive  to  the  bottles 
that,  instead  of  practising  the  remaining  centipedes 
on  them,  a  dozen  wooden  logs,  which  had  been  brought 
along  for  the  purpose,  were  stood  up  to  take  the  place 
of  the  gunny-bags. 

The  first  practice  of  this  sort  was  witnessed  by 
the  assembled  crowd  in  order  to  familiarize  it  with 
what  was  to  be  done.  Then  one  mote  after  another 
was  gradually  landed  and  put  through  the  motions, 
until  the  whole  fleet  was  manosuvring  simultaneously 

214 


The  Mysterious  Expedition 

over  a  space  extending  a  quarter  of  a  mile  on  all 
sides  of  the  camp.  Sometimes  orders  were  given 
directly  to  the  mote  and  sometimes  to  the  daddie. 
As  a  general  rule,  the  captain  of  the  mote  kept  his 
position  in  the  daddie,  that  he  might  see  what  was 
going  on. 

It  would  take  too  much  time  to  enumerate  all  the 
evolutions  that  were  performed.  Besides  those  al- 
ready mentioned,  practice  was  had  in  the  manage- 
ment of  powerful  hooks  attached  to  about  a  dozen 
of  the  daddies,  much  larger  and  more  powerful  than 
the  others.  There  was  nothing  in  the  region  that  we 
should  call  trees,  only  some  low  shrubbery  showing 
itself  here  and  there  above  the  moss-covered  ground. 
The  hooks  in  question  were  employed  in  tearing  these 
up  by  the  roots,  in  digging  in  the  ground  for  stones, 
in  rolling  logs,  and  in  pulling  things  to  pieces  gener- 
ally. The  other  daddies  were  practised  in  the  use 
of  their  hands  and  feet,  so  that  they  could  pick  up 
almost  anything,  large  or  small,  and  handle  it  at 
pleasure.  To  give  interest  to  the  exercises,  games 
were  devised  which  could  be  played  sometimes  by 
the  centipedes  or  the  daddies  by  themselves,  and 
sometimes  by  both  combined.  In  one  game  the 
centipedes  were  on  one  side  and  the  daddies  on  the 
other. 

When  great  facility  in  manoeuvring  the  tentacles 
of  the  centipedes  and  the  hands  of  the  daddies  was 
attained,  a  different  kind  of  practice  was  begun. 
Several  hundred  of  the  men  would  be  arranged  in 

215 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

ranks,  like  a  company  of  soldiers,  with  sticks  in  their 
hands  to  serve  as  arms.  The  daddies  and  the  centi- 
pedes were  to  go  up  to  them,  pull  these  sticks  out  of 
their  hands,  and  deposit  them  in  the  motes,  without 
endangering  the  men.  The  latter  were  to  fight  against 
this  by  brandishing  their  sticks  and  pushing  off  the 
daddies,  if  possible.  Very  soon  the  metallic  finger 
of  the  crooked  beings  acquired  such  dexterity  that 
the  stick  could  be  instantly  seized  in  spite  of  every- 
thing which  the  holder  could  do  to  prevent  it. 

This  exercise  seemed  to  throw  light  on  a  possible 
object  of  the  whole  affair.  What  that  light  was  our 
readers  can  judge  as  well  as  we  can  tell  them.  When 
an  army  used  to  suffer,  for  a  period  of  several  weeks, 
the  ennui  of  camp  life,  the  soldiers  felt  ready  for 
any  adventure,  regardless  of  consequences.  It  was 
not  at  all  wonderful  that  the  members  of  this  iso- 
lated community,  after  a  month  of  labor  in  a 
position  where  they  were  completely  cut  off  from 
all  contact  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  got  into  a  state 
of  mind  not  altogether  different.  They  were  not  ex- 
actly desirous  of  a  fight,  for,  so  far  as  had  yet  ap- 
peared, no  fight  was  in  view.  But  they  did  get  very 
anxious  to  try  their  newly  acquired  skill  on  a  large 
scale,  and  a  feeling  of  recklessness  as  to  the  way  in 
which  their  skill  should  be  used  gradually  took  pos- 
session of  them. 

The  directions  given  to  Gheen  were  that,  after  his 
men  had  gotten  into  thorough  practice,  the  whole  ex- 
pedition was  to  move  over  to  Iceland  and  camp  on 

216 


The  Mysterious  Expedition 

the  peninsula  in  its  northern  portion.  There  the 
exercises  were  to  be  renewed,  and  thither  supplies 
of  everything  necessary  would  be  sent  him. 

At  the  end  of  a  month  Gheen  received  the  message 
we  have  already  mentioned,  directing  him  to  be  in 
readiness  as  soon  as  possible.  He  lost  no  time  in 
packing  up  and  moving  the  whole  encampment  over 
to  Iceland.  Here  everything  was  again  unpacked 
and  put  into  working  order,  evolutions  recommenced, 
and  further  orders  were  awaited.  Before  a  week 
had  been  passed  at  the  new  station,  one  of  the  men 
caught  sight  of  an  approaching  fleet  of  motes  in  the 
air.  It  was  the  supplementary  fleet  with  which  the 
Owner  himself  had  started  from  Campbelltown  on 
the  evening  before.  The  new-comers  were  welcomed 
with  their  supply  of  several  weeks'  news  from  the 
outer  world,  besides  fresh  provisions  and  a  number 
of  miscellaneous  articles  conducive  to  human  com- 
fort. They  learned  for  the  first  time  of  the  great 
unveiling  and  the  universal  excitement  thereby 
caused.  As  a  matter  of  prudence,  Campbell  had  not 
allowed  any  papers  containing  the  discussions  of  the 
past  weeks  as  to  his  objects  and  purposes  to  be  brought 
along.  But  letters  from  families  and  friends  were 
brought  in  sufficient  number  to  compensate  for  the 
absence  of  the  latest  general  intelligence. 

As  every  hour's  delay  in  commencing  active  oper- 
ations would  enable  the  authorities  of  Europe  to  pre- 
pare against  possible  attack,  he  took  Gheen's  word 
that  everything  was  in  readiness,  and  ordered  the 

217 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

expedition  to  start.  He  waited  only  to  call  the 
Seraphs  together  and  make  a  short  speech  on  the  im- 
portance of  their  enterprise.  "  If  you  are  true  to 
one  another,"  he  said,  "  and  if  you  falter  not,  you 
will  make  more  and  better  history  during  the  next  six 
months  than  all  the  kings  and  rulers  of  the  world 
have  made  in  a  thousand  years.  You  will  be  among 
the  greatest  benefactors  of  the  human  race  that  have 
ever  appeared  on  the  earth.  Your  children's  chil- 
dren will  remember  your  title  with  pride;  the  in- 
signia of  your  order  will  be  a  source  of  greater 
honor  than  the  stars  of  any  order  in  Europe." 

Campbell  and  Gheen  had  long  before  decided  that 
their  first  attempt  should  be  made  on  the  German 
armies.  Minute  information  respecting  encamp- 
ments, arsenals,  factories,  stores,  and  everything  else 
pertaining  to  the  German  military  organization  had 
been  collected.  So  towards  Berlin  the  fleet  took  its 
way,  arriving  just  before  sunset.  After  making  a 
survey  of  the  city  and  the  surrounding  country,  a 
point  in  an  unfrequented  locality,  about  twenty  miles 
north  of  Berlin,  was  selected  in  which  to  pass  the 
night.  In  order  to  relieve  the  captains  of  the  neces- 
sity of  keeping  the  motes  afloat,  the  repose  of  night 
was  sought  with  the  motes  resting  on  the  ground. 
Of  course  the  point  was  chosen  as  far  as  possible 
from  railways  and  telegraphs,  so  that  there  should 
be  no  danger  of  an  attack  before  morning.  Mean- 
while, a  messenger  was  sent  with  a  letter  to  the  Ger' 
man  Emperor,  to  the  following  effect: 

218 


The  Mysterious  Expedition 

"  To  His  Majesty,  the  German  Emperor: 

"  May  it  please  your  Majesty — 

"  Deeming  it  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the 
human  race  that  the  question  whether  I  possess  the 
power  to  disarm  and  disband  the  armies  of  Europe 
should  be  decisively  settled,  at  the  earliest  possible 
moment,  I  beg  leave  to  inform  your  Majesty  that 
I  propose  to  learn  by  actual  experiment  whether  I 
possess  the  power  to  disarm  and  disband  your  Maj- 
esty's armies.  Should  the  result  be  in  the  affirm- 
ative, I  shall  consider  myself  bound  to  protect  the 
German  territory  from  any  attack  by  another  power, 
if  only  your  Majesty's  government  shall  enter  into 
some  arrangement  for  abolishing  the  practice  of  war. 
It  is  also  my  intention  to  compensate  the  treasury 
of  your  Majesty  for  all  property  that  may  be  de- 
stroyed by  my  operations." 

"  Your  Majesty's  obedient  servant, 

"  ARCHIBALD  CAMPBELL/' 

The  problem  how  to  get  this  letter  into  the  hands 
of  the  Emperor  was  no  easy  one.  It  was  first  sent 
direct  to  the  royal  palace,  but  the  messenger 
returned  with  the  statement  that  the  sentry  sta- 
tioned at  the  door  had  refused  to  receive  it.  The 
plan  was  therefore  adopted  of  sending  it  to  the  near- 
est post-office.  The  messenger  who  carried  it  was 
conveyed  in  a  small  but  swift  mote,  from  which  he 
descended  out  of  the  sky  almost  in  a  moment,  as 
it  were. 

219 


His   Wisdom   the   Defender 

The  rules  did  not  permit  the  postmaster  to  trans- 
mit the  letter  unless  assured  of  its  legitimate  char- 
acter. But,  in  the  present  case,  telegraphic  com- 
munication with  the  central  postal  authorities  re- 
sulted in  the  letter  being  speedily  forwarded.  What 
its  result  was  Campbell  could  only  guess. 


XIV 
The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

WE  now  return  to  the  world  at  large  and  re- 
view its  history  during  the  days  following 
the  address  of  Campbell  to  the  assembled 
dignitaries.     The  excitement  caused  by  this  message 
exceeded  even  that  which  had  followed  the  previous 
developments  of  these  eventful  weeks.     The  calmest 
view  of  the  case  was  taken  by  the  New  York  Even- 
ing Post  in  the  following  terms : 

"  Never  in  history  have  words  been  spoken  of  such 
import  to  mankind  as  those  which  are  found  in  our 
present  issue.  Almost  before  the  end  of  the  address 
was  reached,  every  telegraph  line  in  the  world  was 
carrying  the  message  under  the  ocean  and  through 
the  air  to  all  the  nations  and  peoples  of  the  globe.  In 
the  most  distant  parts  of  China  men  are  telling  the 
news  to  their  neighbors;  on  the  plains  of  Tibet  the 
assembled  tribes  are  hearing  it  from  their  leaders; 
in  Australia  men  are  running  to  and  fro  asking  each 
other  what  is  to  be  done.  Round  every  camp-fire 
in  Africa  sable  crowds  are  gathered,  listening  to  the 
reading.  Every  crowned  head  and  every  prime-min- 

221 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

ister  in  Europe  is  absorbed  by  the  questions  which  it 
raises.  Men  everywhere  have  abandoned  their  usual 
occupations  and  are  eagerly  awaiting  the  blow  that 
is  to  be  struck.  For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of 
the  world  only  one  subject  is  being  discussed  by  the 
learned  and  the  ignorant,  by  savage  and  sage,  by  the 
rulers  and  the  masses."  .... 

By  some  telephatic  process,  perhaps,  a  general  im- 
pression was  spread  abroad  that,  if  Campbell  really 
entered  upon  his  daring  attempt,  the  German  armies 
would  be  his  first  object  of  attack.  How  the  attack 
would  be  made,  by  what  means  he  could  possibly 
expect  to  disarm  a  hundred  thousand  men,  and 
that  without  bloodshed,  even  with  the  advantages 
offered  by  the  motes,  no  one  could  anticipate.  The 
German  Emperor  spent  most  of  the  day  in  council 
with  his  generals  as  to  the  proper  disposition  of  the 
troops  in  order  that  they  might  defend  themselves 
to  the  best  advantage. 

Two  views  were  held  by  members  of  the  council — 
the  one  prudent,  the  other  bold.  The  counsel  of  the 
more  prudent  leaders  was  to  order  all  the  troops  into 
their  barracks,  or  quarter  them  everywhere  in  houses, 
so  that  it  would  be  as  difficult  as  possible  to  get  at 
them,  and  to  keep  them  there  until  the  plan  of  attack 
was  discovered.  This  party  urged  the  imprudence 
of  massing  men  in  the  open  field  against  an  aerial 
enemy  that  might  be  armed  with  machine-guns.  Who 
knew  but  that,  after  all,  the  statements  of  the  New 
York  Herald  might  not  be  literally  true?  Grant- 

222 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

ing  that  Campbell  had  no  purchased  machine-guns 
with  him,  he  might  have  made  any  number  in  the 
secret  recesses  of  his  vast  establishment,  which  no 
visitor  had  ever  been  allowed  to  see.  His  denial  that 
his  force  was  not  armed  with  these  or  any  other 
weapons  could  not  be  trusted.  If  he  lied  outright, 
what  resource  was  left  against  him?  He  would 
claim  that  the  end  justified  the  means,  and  all  ethical 
argument  with  him  would  be  useless.  If  he  had 
sent  guns,  an  army  in  the  field  would,  as  the  Herald 
had  said,  melt  away  like  snow  under  a  tropical  sun, 
unless  the  lives  of  its  soldiers  were  saved  by  an  un- 
conditional surrender. 

It  was  urged,  on  the  other  side,  that  soldiers  hid- 
den away  in  barracks  and  houses  would  be  like  chick- 
ens in  a  coop.  They  might  be  captured  or  killed, 
but  could  not  fight.  For  all  practical  purposes  an 
army  of  such  soldiers  was  already  disbanded.  The 
whole  country  would  be  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy, 
who,  if  he  had  guns  and  ammunition,  could  rid- 
dle the  barracks  with  shot  and  burn  down  the  houses 
in  which  the  men  were  quartered.  An  enemy  which 
would  attack  a  body  of  helpless  men  with  murderous 
weapons  would  devastate  the  country  and  burn  and 
destroy  property  without  limit. 

The  Emperor  spoke.  "  I  am  in  favor  of  the  more 
active  course.  Armies  are  organized  to  fight.  The 
day  their  men  are  scattered  in  houses  where  they 
can  not  fight  they  cease  to  be  armies." 

A  middle  course  was  at  length  decided  on.  Of 
223 


His   Wisdom   the    Defender 

the  army  practising  the  autumn  manoeuvres,  100,000 
should  be  massed  in  the  field  where  they  now  were, 
and  the  remainder  should  be  sent  to  their  barracks 
until  it  was  seen  how  the  others  fared,  or,  at  least, 
how  they  were  to  be  attacked. 

"  A  system  of  defence  must  next  be  devised," 
said  the  Emperor.  "  To  do  this  we  must  have  some 
idea  of  the  probable  mode  of  attack.  Can  any  one 
of  the  generals  make  a  suggestion  on  this  subject  ?" 

"  The  matter  presents  itself  to  me  in  this  way," 
said  General  Steinitz.  "  Notwithstanding  all  that 
has  been  said  as  to  what  schemes  our  enemy  may 
have  in  mind,  I  am  disposed  to  attach  credence  to  his 
utterances.  He  has  absolutely  denied  having  dead- 
ly weapons  in  the  possession  of  his  forces.  Both  in 
his  address  and  in  his  letter  to  your  Majesty  he  has 
spoken  only  of  disarming,  not  of  fighting.  To  at- 
tack with  missiles  of  any  sort  would  not  be  to  dis- 
arm. He  cannot  disarm  without  sending  his  forces 
to  grapple  hand  to  hand  with  our  troops.  J^"ow  let 
us  take  this  point  of  view,  as  to  the  possibility  of 
doing  this.  He  knows,  or  at  least  may  well  think, 
that,  if  he  can  once  get  into  the  midst  of  a  regiment 
with  his  motes,  he  can  act  with  impunity,  because  he 
cannot  be  attacked  by  guns  of  any  kind  without  our 
own  men  being  killed.  While  he  is  in  the  air  he 
can  bid  defiance  to  artillery ;  it  is  impossible  to  point 
a  gun  at  a  flying  object.  As  for  musketry,  we  may 
assume  that  all  the  motes  he  intends  to  attack  us  in 
are  built  with  the  toughened  alloy,  and  are  therefore 

224 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

bullet-proof,  as  we  have  already  found  by  experi- 
ment. At  any  rate,  if  they  are  not  proof,  our  task 
will  be  a  very  simple  one.  Troops  firing  in  the  air 
can  all  fire  at  once  and  incessantly  without  breaking 
their  ranks  or  moving  from  their  places.  Motes  not 
bullet-proof  would  therefore  be  riddled  before  one 
of  them  could  reach  our  army.  The  enemy  must 
know  this,  and  have  guarded  against  it.  Thus  the 
problem  is  how  our  troops  can  defend  themselves 
from  an  enemy  in  their  midst  without  danger  to 
themselves  ?" 

"  How  heavy  a  shot  is  required  to  pierce  the 
toughened  alloy  ?"  asked  the  Emperor.  "  I  have 
not  the  results  of  the  trials  in  detail  in  my  mind." 

"  We  found  that  to  really  pierce  a  plate  of  the 
metal  one  centimetre  thick  required  a  steel  shot  of  the 
weight  of  three  ounces.  A  lighter  steel  shot,  or  a  lead- 
en shot  of  that  weight,  would  indent  the  plate  but 
would  not  pierce  it.  The  weight  of  metal  required 
was  proportioned  to  the  thickness  of  the  plate." 

"  In  all  likelihood  the  sides  of  the  motes  are  at 
least  a  centimetre  thick,"  said  the  Emperor ;  "  it  is 
clearly  useless  to  attack  with  anything  lighter  than 
the  Nordhoff  repeating-guns." 

"  If  our  men  should  throw  themselves  flat  on  the 
ground,  could  not  the  Nordhoffs  be  fired  at  the  motes 
over  their  heads  ?" 

"  We  should  hit  more  of  our  men  than  of  the 
enemy,"  replied  the  Emperor,  "  and  I  do  not  want 
it  said  that  our  men  merely  killed  each  other." 
p  225 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

"  Suppose  we  instructed  our  troops  to  break  ranks, 
and  run  from  the  mote  in  each  direction  the  moment 
one  landed  in  their  midst.  This  would  leave  the 
enemy  alone  for  at  least  a  few  seconds,  and  then 
the  gun  could  put  in  its  work." 

"  We  are  talking  as  if  the  enemy  had  no  eyes," 
said  General  Miiller.  "  If  we  had  Nordhoff  guns 
or  any  other  artillery  in  the  field,  he  would  make  for 
them  first  and  carry  them  off  in  a  jiffy." 

"  We  can  conceal  them,"  replied  the  other,  after 
a  pause.  "  We  can  put  them  under  small  tents  or 
even  sheets  of  canvas,  leaving  a  hole  to  fire  through. 
Let  them  be  trained  so  as  to  enfilade  our  ranks ;  then, 
when  our  ranks  scatter,  they  can  be  trained  on  any 
mote  near  the  line  of  fire  in  an  instant." 

This  plan  soon  received  unanimous  approval, 
though  the  Emperor  was  somewhat  fearful  that  the 
gunners  might  lose  their  heads  in  the  turmoil  and 
fire  while  their  own  men  were  in  line.  "  Select  the 
coolest  gunners  in  the  army  for  this  work,"  said  he 
to  the  chief  of  artillery.  "  I  leave  the  details  to  the 
several  generals.  The  chief  of  cavalry  is  to  have 
all  the  cavalry  within  reach  drawn  up  to  help  the  in- 
fantry if  possible." 

The  question  of  this  arm  had  not  even  been  con- 
sidered in  council,  and  the  generals  doubted  the  wis- 
dom of  calling  on  it.  But  the  case  was  not  clear 
enough  to  warrant  the  raising  of  any  objection  to  the 
imperial  will. 

"£Tow,"  said  the  Emperor,  "I  want  the  result 
226 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

to  be  decisive  if  possible.  The  men  who  shall  at- 
tack us  to-morrow  have  no  standing  in  the  eye  of  the 
law.  They  will  be  outlaws,  pure  and  simple,  from 
the  moment  that  they  strike  a  blow.  The  Adjutant- 
General  will  therefore  issue  a  general  order  to  the 
army  in  the  terms  which  I  am  now  going  to  dic- 
tate: 

"  It  is  expected  that  you  will  be  attacked  by  ban- 
dits from  the  air,  either  to-morrow  morning  or  at 
some  very  early  day.  Defend  yourselves  to  the  ut- 
most. Fire  at  the  armies  in  the  air  as  you  would 
fire  upon  armies  on  the  ground.  Capture  the  enemy 
and  his  ships,  if  possible.  Show  no  quarter  to  any, 
but  put  every  man  you  find  in  the  motes  immediately 
to  death,  with  bullet  and  bayonet." 

There  were  no  late  sleepers  next  morning  in  north- 
ern Germany.  Every  one  well  enough  to  move  was 
up  at  daylight,  and,  if  near  enough  to  Potsdam,  was 
on  his  way  to  see  what  should  happen.  The  troops 
were  marshalled  on  the  proposed  place  at  break  of 
day. 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  attacking  party.  The 
leaders  were  as  much  in  the  dark  trying  to  guess 
the  policy  of  the  Germans  as  the  latter  were  to  guess 
the  mode  of  attack.  Would  the  Emperor  show  fight, 
or  would  he  surrender  to  superior  force  with  all  the 
protestations  necessary  to  save  his  honor?  Could 
an  army  be  induced  to  fight  vigorously  against  a 
foe  in  the  clouds,  or  would  hereditary  superstition  so 

227 


His  Wisdom  the   Defender 

demoralize  them  that  they  would  lay  down  their 
arms  at  the  first  blow?  If  determined  to  defend 
themselves  to  the  bitter  end,  what  would  be  their 
tactics  ? 

These  questions  could  be  answered  only  by  trial. 
The  whole  plan  of  attack  was  in  Gheen's  hands.  He 
had  been  somewhat  uneasy  as  to  this,  but  his  solici- 
tude on  this  point  was  set  at  rest  by  the  declaration 
of  his  chief: 

"  Heretofore  we  have  consulted  at  every  step.  We 
have  now  reached  a  stage  where,  for  the  time  being, 
vigorous  and  united  action  is  the  watchword.  From 
this  moment  you  are  sole  commander  of  our  forces, 
and  I  am  only  a  spectator,  except  when  some  ques- 
tion of  policy  arises  which  I  am  to  decide.  So  give 
your  orders  and  change  your  plan  of  battle  from 
moment  to  moment  as  you  deem  best,  consulting  me 
only  in  case  you  are  in  such  trouble  that  I  must  de- 
cide upon  the  course  to  be  pursued.  We  both  need 
a  sound  night's  sleep  to  prepare  us  for  the  morrow. 
So  try  to  sleep  as  if  you  had  nothing  on  your  mind. 
They  say  that  a  condemned  man  always  sleeps  well 
the  night  before  he  is  to  be  hanged,  and  that  an  army 
does  the  same  when  it  expects  to  be  awakened  by  the 
rattling  of  musketry.  Perhaps  the  rule  will  apply 
to  our  case." 

It  did.  Both  men  were  surprised  when  informed 
by  the  sentries  that  it  was  nearly  sunrise.  Gheen 
wanted  to  start  early,  because  he  did  not  know  where 
or  in  what  condition  he  might  find  the  enemy. 

228 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

As  he  was  getting  ready  he  was  surprised  by  one  of 
the  captains  of  the  centipedes  asking  to  have  a  con- 
fidential interview  with  him.  The  captain  reported 
that  suspicions  existed  among  several  of  the  Sera- 
phim as  to  the  loyalty  of  one  of  their  number.  The 
suspected  person  was  in  charge  of  daddie  79. 
He  had  made  several  remarks  to  his  fellow-men  ex- 
pressing deep  concern  as  to  the  legality  of  the  under- 
taking in  which  they  were  engaged,  and  a  keen  ap- 
preciation of  the  advantages  that  would  accrue  to 
any  one  who  should  succeed  in  putting  his  instru- 
ment into  the  possession  of  the  Germans.  Gheen 
thought  it  best  to  take  no  action  in  the  matter,  but 
simply  to  keep  a  look-out  on  the  suspected  daddie. 

Naturally  the  first  place  to  look  for  the  army  was 
on  the  field  of  manoeuvres,  where  he  hoped  it  might 
be  bivouacked.  He  was  therefore  agreeably  sur- 
prised to  see  the  enemy  drawn  up  in  the  very  array 
he  would  have  chosen  had  he  been  allowed  to  direct 
its  formation.  What  he  had  most  feared  was  being 
under  the  necessity  of  chasing  scattered  squads  here 
and  there  over  the  country,  a  proceeding  which  might 
have  worn  him  out,  enticed  him  into  ambushes,  and 
led  to  the  capture  of  some  of  his  motes.  In  serried 
ranks  the  enemy  had  no  chance  of  escape,  unless  by 
some  device  he  had  not  foreseen. 

At  six  o'clock  the  fleet  of  350  motes  was  over  the 
field,  a  mile  high,  looking  like  so  many  huge  vultures 
about  to  pounce  upon  their  prey.  Lowest  of  all 
were  the  plain  motes,  about  two  hundred  in  number. 

229 


His  Wisdom  the   Defender 

They  were  followed  by  150  centipedes.  Above  and 
around  them  was  a  cloud  of  daddies.  Still  higher  up 
were  Gheen's  headquarters  on  board  the  captain's 
mote.  Above  all,  looking  on  but  taking  no  active 
part  in  the  struggle,  was  the  Concordia,  with  the 
Owner  on  board. 

As  the  motes  approached,  a  perfect  hailstorm  of 
bullets  was  poured  upon  them  from  the  army,  but 
the  aim  was  mostly  too  low ;  and  the  few  that  struck 
did  no  harm,  because,  as  our  readers  know,  the  ma- 
terial of  which  they  were  made  was  bullet-proof,  even 
if  vulnerable  to  heavy  shot.  It  was  different  with 
the  centipedes,  for,  although  they  were  made  of  the 
same  material,  there  were  joints  and  openings 
through  which  the  bullets  might  enter  and  disable 
either  the  men  or  the  delicate  machinery.  They 
were  therefore  ordered  to  stop  and  rise  above  the 
motes,  out  of  the  range  of  musketry. 

While  this  was  going  on,  Gheen  surveyed  the  field. 
No  heavy  artillery,  machine-guns,  or  ammunition 
wagons  were  in  sight.  Evidently  the  soldiers  had 
no  ammunition  except  what  was  in  their  pouches, 
and  it  would  not  take  long  to  exhaust  the  supply 
if  such  a  fire  were  kept  up.  He  therefore  directed 
the  motes  to  sway  back  and  forth,  up  and  down,  ap- 
proaching the  army  and  receding  again,  so  as  to 
tempt  it  to  keep  up  the  fire. 

He  thought  the  arrangement  of  the  tents  on  each 
flank  looked  unusual,  and,  fearing  a  trap,  ordered 
some  daddies  to  pull  a  few  of  them  up.  Nothing  un- 

230 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

usual  being  found  under  any  of  those  removed,  his 
suspicions  were  allayed.  Still,  he  thought  it  prudent 
to  begin  his  attack  with  a  small  force. 

The  work  began  without  apparent  loss  of  life  or 
even  serious  injury  to  the  infantry,  as  Campbell  had 
hoped ;  but  there  was  one  tragic,  if  rather  ludicrous 
incident.  We  have  said  that  the  Emperor,  deter- 
mined to  use  all  his  forces,  had  called  out  the  cav- 
alry as  well  as  the  other  arms  of  the  service,  though 
it  was  difficult  to  see  of  what  use  it  could  have  been. 
The  unaccustomed  sight  of  an  armed  force  approach- 
ing in  the  air  so  frightened  the  horses  that  they  be- 
came unmanageable,  and  ran  away  in  a  compact 
body,  falling  down  and  rolling  over  each  other  in 
their  vain  struggles  with  the  bits  of  their  riders.  The 
result  was  that  many  of  the  latter  suffered  severe 
injuries,  which  proved  fatal  in  not  a  few  cases.  The 
destruction  among  the  horses  was,  of  course,  yet 
greater.  That  squadron  of  cavalry  was  most  effectu- 
ally disbanded. 

When  the  fire  began  to  slacken  three  or  four  cen- 
tipedes came  down  side  by  side,  swayed  almost  upon 
the  ground  alongside  the  front  ranks  of  the  soldiers, 
and  proceeded  to  seize  the  arms  from  their  hands 
and  throw  them  on  board,  with  a  dexterity  gained 
by  long  practice.  The  soldiers  retreated  slowly  at 
first,  closely  followed  by  the  centipedes.  Then  they 
suddenly  turned  and  ran.  At  the  same  instant  a 
machine-gun,  concealed  in  a  tent,  opened  fire.  The 
shot  was  so  heavy  that  the  few  which  took  effect  com- 

231 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

pletely  pierced  the  nearest  mote.  Not  only  were 
two  men  seriously  wounded  by  the  flying  missiles, 
but  the  great  tube,  containing  the  etherine,  which 
gave  buoyancy  to  the  vehicle,  was  pierced.  The 
daddie  immediately  above  the  mote,  grasping  the 
situation,  pounced  upon  the  tent  before  more  than 
three  or  four  rounds  could  be  fired,  and  carried  the 
gun  off  with  the  greatest  ease,  throwing  it  after  the 
retreating  men  as  it  had  formerly  thrown  the  gigan- 
tic tennis-balls  in  the  Coliseum.  The  injured  mote 
undertook  to  rise,  but  soon  fell  to  the  ground,  flut- 
tering like  a  wounded  bird.  It  was  first  blood  for 
the  Germans. 

The  device  was  now  obvious,  and  no  difficulty  was 
found  in  discovering  the  other  guns  concealed  in  the 
same  way.  All  the  tents  along  the  flanks  were  de- 
molished, and  whatever  guns  were  found  in  them 
were  thrown  to  the  ground  in  a  moment.  Then  the 
great  mass  of  motes  came  down  upon  the  ranks  of  the 
army.  In  the  main,  the  method  of  attack  was  to 
have  a  centipede  settle  on  one  side  of  a  rank  of 
soldiers  and  a  plain  mote  on  the  other.  As  neither 
touched  the  ground,  it  was  very  easy  in  this  way  to 
follow  the  men  as  they  tried  to  retreat.  The  centi- 
pede took  the  arms  out  of  the  mens'  hands  and  put 
them  on  top  of  its  own  deck,  and  then  took  the  men 
up  and  put  them  on  the  upper  deck  of  the  mote. 
Here,  unarmed  as  they  were,  they  were  quite  help- 
less, and  obeyed  the  order  to  go  below  till  the  two 
lower  decks  were  crowded.  When  a  mote  had  as 

232 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

many  of  the  disarmed  men  as  could  find  a  place 
on  the  decks,  the  men  were  asked  to  what  part  of 
the  country  they  belonged.  Usually  all,  or  nearly 
all,  on  any  one  mote  were  from  the  same  town  or 
region.  The  mot©  was  despatched  to  take  them 
home,  and  on  reaching  their  destination  they  were 
turned  loose  in  the  streets. 

Campbell  and  Gheen  had  planned  a  scheme  for 
requiring  the  men  to  put  off  their  uniforms  and  dress 
in  plain  clothes,  to  be  supplied  them,  but  this  was 
one  of  the  arrangements  which  had  fallen  through 
in  consequence  of  the  necessity  for  a  premature  exe- 
cution of  the  plan.  The  soldiers  were  therefore  al- 
lowed to  go  home  in  their  uniforms,  thus  leaving  it 
possible  to  identify  them  as  soldiers  and  collect  them 
again  if  the  opportunity  offered.  But  it  was  hoped 
that  the  opportunity  would  not  be  offered. 

The  few  mounted  officers  who  had  brought  their 
horses  into  the  field  suffered  as  the  cavalry  had  done, 
and  were  glad  to  dismount  and  let  their  horses  run 
away.  The  men  were  in  such  good  discipline  that 
the  confusion  thus  caused  in  the  ranks  was  soon 
repaired,  but  the  officers  were  on  foot,  like  the  men, 
and  were  sent  off  with  them,  a  course  quite  different 
from  that  which  had  been  intended. 

"  What  does  that  mean  ?"  said  Gheen's  signal  offi- 
cer, just  at  the  height  of  the  turmoil.  Both  men 
looked  at  a  mano3uvre  not  in  the  day's  programme. 

Daddie  79  was  flying  high  above  the  main  body 
of  the  force  and  making  its  way  with  all  speed  tow- 

233 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

ards  Berlin.  "  Tell  centipedes  King  and  Paul  to 
follow  it  and  bring  it  back,"  said  Gheen. 

The  centipedes  were,  of  course,  much  swifter  than 
a  daddie;  but  the  latter  was  lighter  and  could  be 
moved  about  more  readily.  When  the  centipedes 
overtook  and  sought  to  seize  it,  it  had  no  difficulty 
in  evading  them  by  an  upward,  downward,  or  lat- 
eral movement,  without  slackening  its  onward  course. 
It  kept  on  in  this  way,  reached  Berlin,  and  landed  on 
the  Unter  den  Linden  immediately  in  front  of  the 
royal  palace,  before  which  a  company  of  the  Im- 
perial Guards  was  stationed.  The  Seraph  in  charge 
of  it  opened  its  port  and  sprang  to  the  ground.  He 
was  immediately  pierced  by  a  volley  of  balls  from 
the  soldiers,  who  naturally  supposed  that  an  attack 
on  the  palace,  or  on  the  person  of  the  Emperor,  was 
intended.  A  moment  later  the  two  centipedes  fol- 
lowed. A  volley  was  discharged  against  them,  but, 
being  shot-proof,  no  harm  was  done  them.  The  fore- 
most had  no  difficulty  in  seizing  the  daddie  when  the 
latter  was  on  the  ground,  and  in  carrying  it  off. 
The  only  result  of  the  incident  was  the  death  of  the 
traitor  by  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  a  deep  impression  was 
made  on  the  attacking  army  by  this  tragic  result.  It 
showed  that,  as  a  mere  matter  of  safety,  loyalty  was 
the  best  policy. 

When  it  became  evident  that  the  success  of  the 
plan  was  possible,  a  new  and  strange  sight  greeted 
the  eyes  of  both  armies.  It  was  an  immense  banner,  a 

234 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 


hundred  feet  long  and  sixty  feet  in  breadth,  floating 
in  the  air  between  two  motes,  and  bearing  the 
words  * — 


STREKET  GEWEHR 

DANN  FR1EDE   UND  FREUDE 

EUCH    KINDERN   UND 

VATERLANDE 


Many  of  the  troops  were  quite  ready  to  obey 
this  request  when  it  was  seen  that  resistance  was  no 
longer  possible.  By  nightfall  three-quarters  of  the 
army  assembled  on  the  field  were  disarmed  and  sent 
to  their  homes,  while  the  remainder,  in  a  dazed  and 
frightened  condition,  had  thrown  away  their  weapons 
and  taken  refuge  in  the  barracks,  thereby  demoral- 
izing their  companions,  or  were  wandering  aimlessly 
over  the  country.  Desirable  though  it  was  to  lose 
no  time  in  the  pursuit,  nothing  could  be  done  in  the 
darkness;  besides  which,  the  men  of  the  attacking 
party,  though  mostly  working  in  two  relays,  were 
thoroughly  exhausted.  The  fleet  was  therefore  re- 
called at  sunset,  and  a  camping-place  for  the  night 
was  selected. 

Up  to  this  moment  Campbell  and  Gheen  had  heard 
nothing  from  the  world  since  the  former  had  made 

*Lay  down  your  arms,  then  peace  and  joy  for  yourselves, 
children,  and  fatherland. 

235 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

his  address  and  left  his  home  to  join  forces  with 
Gheen.  Although  he  had  deliberately  reached  the 
conclusion  that  the  less  he  knew  of  what  men  thought 
of  his  doings,  the  better  he  could  carry  out  his  work, 
his  curiosity  had  now  got  the  upper-hand.  He  call- 
ed three  messenger  motes  and  directed  their  con- 
ductors to  sweep  over  the  streets  of  Berlin,  look  for 
newspapers,  and  bring  him  a  copy  of  each  separate 
paper  they  could  find.  They  were  notified  that  the 
three  must  keep  together,  so  that,  in  case  anything 
happened  to  one  of  them,  the  two  others  could  come 
to  its  rescue.  Copies  of  several  Berlin  daily  papers 
were  thus  secured,  which  the  two  leaders  eagerly 
scanned. 

What  Campbell  most  feared  was  some  concerted 
action  by  the  leading  nations  to  checkmate  him  by  a 
common  resistance  to  the  bitter  end.  But  the  numer- 
ous telegrams  from  all  quarters  told  of  little  but  wild 
excitement,  unreasoning  comment,  and  proposals  and 
suggestions  of  every  degree  of  sanity  and  unsanity. 
So  far  as  any  thread  of  consistency  could  be  traced 
in  the  mass,  the  feeling  was  in  favor  of  waiting  to 
see  what  the  motes  could  or  would  do  before  taking 
decided  action. 

"But,"  said  Campbell,  studying  the  army  news 
in  the  evening  paper,  "  here  is  something  we  have 
got  to  look  into." 

"Well,  what  is  it?" 

Campbell  read  the  Emperor's  general  order  and 
looked  at  his  companion. 

236 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

"  I  am  rather  glad  our  men  did  not  know  of  that," 
said  Gheen.  "  It  might  have  enraged  them  or  fright- 
ened them,  and  I  don't  know  which  would  have  been 
the  worse." 

"  As  they  did  not  know  it,  I  can't  say  that  I  am 
altogether  sorry  the  Emperor  has  taken  such  ground. 
We  want  to  know  whether  the  old  regime  is  to  stand 
or  give  way  to  the  new.  The  more  desperate  the 
fight  it  makes,  the  more  decisive  will  be  its  defeat,  if 
defeat  it  is,  and  the  more  readily  men  will  welcome 
the  victor.  For  this  reason  I  am  disposed  to  meet 
the  Emperor's  order  with  action  as  aggressive  as  his 
words.  Would  there  be  any  difficulty  in  capturing 
him  if  he  shows  himself  in  the  field  to-morrow  as 
he  did  to-day  ?" 

"  Not  the  slightest ;  but  I  don't  believe  he  will 
show  himself  again.  We  should  likely  find  it  neces- 
sary to  hunt  him  up  in  the  council-chamber  of  the 
Schloss.  He  must  have  learned  prudence  from  the 
day's  experience." 

"  I  am  hardly  prepared  to  go  so  far  as  to  drag  him 
from  his  council-chamber  just  at  present.  If  he  is 
seen  out  of  doors,  have  him  captured  at  once  and 
brought  on  board  the  Concordia.  If  he  keeps  under 
cover — well — we  will  think  the  matter  over." 

"  I  should  capture  him  wherever  found  on  the 
very  grounds  you  have  taken.  But  there  is  no 
hurry,  and  perhaps  we  shall  find  him." 

The  Emperor's  general  order  proved  innocuous,  as 
the  troops  had  not  found  it  possible  to  make  any  pris- 

237 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

oners  or  to  seize  a  single  mote  except  the  disabled 
one,  which  was  of  no  use  to  any  one,  and  was  there- 
fore left  on  the  field.  When  the  worst  of  the  fight 
was  over  a  daddie  was  sent  to  blow  it  to  pieces  with 
dynamite. 

The  Emperor  again  spent  the  evening  in  council 
with  his  generals.  Of  the  great  army,  100,000 
strong,  which  in  the  morning  had  been  drawn  up 
on  the  plains  of  Potsdam,  hardly  a  vestige  could  be 
found.  Telegrams  from  various  towns  in  the  prov- 
inces of  Brandenburg  and  Mecklenburg  showed  that 
a  large  part  of  the  men  who  had  formed  it  were 
at  their  several  homes,  without  arms,  and  that  it  was 
doubtful  if  they  could  be  again  brought  together 
without  a  complete  re-enlistment.  The  remainder 
had  taken  refuge  in  tents,  barracks,  or  private  houses, 
wherever  they  could  find  shelter,  or  were  wandering 
aimlessly  through  the  streets  or  over  the  fields.  De- 
cidedly the  party  which  sustained  the  waiting  policy 
was  vindicated. 

Only  one  course  seemed  feasible.  All  the  troops 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Berlin,  still  numbering  more 
than  100,000,  must  be  gotten  into  their  barracks  or 
into  the  casemates  of  the  fortifications  before  the  at- 
tack was  renewed  in  the  morning.  As  the  tents  af- 
forded no  protection,  those  who  were  quartered  in 
them  might  remain  there  for  the  night,  but  must 
join  their  comrades  in  the  barracks  by  daylight. 
The  weapons  and  artillery  were  to  be  stored  out  of 
sight  so  far  as  possible. 

238 


The  Attack  on  the  German  Armies 

When  the  aerial  fleet  returned  to  the  attack  in  the 
morning  not  a  vestige  of  an  army  could  be  seen.  All 
the  arms  which  had  been  taken  from  the  soldiers 
the  day  previous  had  been  left  in  piles  on  or  around 
the  field,  and  there  they  still  lay.  Every  prepara- 
tion for  disposing  of  them  had  been  made  long  be- 
fore. In  the  imperial  park  at  Potsdam  was  an  ar- 
tificial lake,  about  four  acres  in  extent,  in  the  midst 
of  which  a  fountain  played  on  gala  days.  A  squad- 
ron of  fifty  centipedes  was  directed  to  pick  up  the 
arms,  carry  them  to  Potsdam,  and  throw  them  pell- 
mell  into  the  centre  of  the  pond.  When  the  top  of 
the  pile  got  above  the  water,  the  muskets  were  to  be 
piled  up  on  top  of  those  already  there,  so  as  to  form 
a  huge  pyramid.  When  the  pile  was  complete,  sev- 
eral carboys  of  sulphuric  acid  were  poured  over  the 
top  of  it,  which  would  be  carried  through  the  whole 
mass  by  the  first  shower  of  rain. 

While  this  was  going  on  the  main  body  of  the 
fleet  scoured  the  region  for  its  prey.  Even  without 
the  maps  which  Gheen  had  with  him  there  would 
have  been  little  difficulty  in  finding  the  barracks  in 
which  the  garrison  was  ordinarily  lodged.  Those 
at  Teltow  were  first  reached.  They  comprised  ten 
immense  buildings,  each  capable  of  lodging  2500 
men  with  their  officers.  Of  course,  the  motes  could 
not  enter  by  the  doors  or  windows,  and  it  is  quite 
possible  that,  for  this  reason,  the  military  authori- 
ties hoped  to  foil  their  enemy.  But  if  they  did, 
their  mistake  was  soon  evident.  A  half-dozen  dad- 

239 


His  Wisdom   the  Defender 

dies  mounted,  or  rather  settled,  on  the  roof  of  each 
building,  and,  with  their  sharp  and  well-practised 
claws,  proceeded  to  tear  off  the  tiles  and  sheathing  as 
a  flock  of  hens  might  scratch  up  a  flower-bed.  The 
rafters  followed,  leaving  the  upper  story  entirely 
exposed.  The  soldiers  who  occupied  it,  as  soon  as 
they  found  the  roof  doomed  to  destruction,  ran  down- 
stairs and  joined  their  companions  on  the  floor  below. 
The  tops  of  the  brick  walls  were  then  attacked  in 
like  manner,  but  the  well-hardened  cement  proved 
too  strong  even  for  the  powerful  claws  of  the  daddies. 
A  few  of  the  centipede  motes  were  supplied  with 
crow-bars  for  seizing  and  pulling  down  walls,  and 
these  speedily  reduced  the  buildings  to  a  mass  of 
ruins.  As  the  work  progressed  the  unfortunate  in- 
mates rushed  down  from  floor  to  floor,  and  at  length 
out  into  the  parade-ground,  only  to  find  themselves 
so  completely  surrounded  by  the  enemy  that  nothing 
but  surrender  was  possible. 


XV 

A  Captive   Emperor 

ISTKONGLY  suspect  that,  had  Campbell  better 
understood  the  spirit  in  which  the  German  Em- 
peror fought  his  battle,  he  would  have  been  dis- 
posed to  deal  more  gently  with  him,  and  condone 
his  murderous  order  as  something  he  was  right  in 
executing  if  he  could.  But  neither  of  the  antago- 
nists knew  how  like  was  the  spirit  of  their  fight.  The 
one  saw  that  the  old  regime  could  not  be  claimed 
to  have  passed  away  forever  unless  it  made  the  most 
desperate  fight  in  its  power  to  sustain  itself.  If  it 
did  not  fight  to  the  death ;  if  it  begged  for  a  compro- 
mise, or  even  a  truce,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining 
either,  none  could  foresee  how  much  vitality  it  might 
have  left,  or  how  long  it  might  rule  the  nations 
by  the  right  of  the  strongest.  Hence  his  desire  to 
carry  his  work  to  the  end  without  giving  any  power 
the  chance  to  propose  a  truce,  and  without  exposing 
himself  to  the  temptation  to  compromise,  which  a 
knowledge  of  what  was  going  on  below  might  have 
held  out.  If,  after  all,  he  could  not  overcome  the 
passive  resistance  of  united  Europe,  then  he  could 
Q  241 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

say  to  the  world,  "  Behold  my  power ;  what  do  you 
want  me  to  do  with  it?  Make  known  your  wishes 
to  my  headquarters  in  Elba." 

The  Emperor,  on  his  side  of  the  contest,  viewed 
the  situation  in  much  the  same  spirit.  The  honor  of 
his  house,  vigorously  upheld  through  all  the  gener- 
ations from  Barbarossa  to  himself,  was  dearer  to 
him  than  life.  That  honor  was  associated  with  the 
old  regime;  and  it  required  that  he  should  uphold 
that  regime  to  the  bitter  end.  He  could  make  no 
terms  with  the  low-born  person  who  was  now  seeking 
to  establish  a  new  order  of  things.  What  he  might 
be  forced  to  do  if  finally  vanquished,  he  did  not  allow 
himself  even  to  consider.  He  would  cross  that  bridge 
when  he  came  to  it. 

On  the  second  morning  of  the  contest  he  was  at 
work  from  daylight  discussing  the  reports  of  the  dis- 
aster of  the  day  previous,  and  trying  to  invent  some 
new  way  of  meeting  his  foe.  He  sent  for  Prince 
Waldeck,  his  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  with  whom 
he  drew  up  a  despatch  to  the  German  ambassador  at 
Washington,  directing  him  to  make  a  vigorous  rep- 
resentation of  the  case  to  the  American  government, 
and  to  ask  for  the  immediate  enforcement  of  its  neu- 
trality laws.  The  official  despatch  was  accompanied 
by  private  instructions  to  urge  on  Secretary  Bayne 
the  immediate  seizure  of  the  works  at  Campbelltown 
by  such  force,  military  or  civil,  as  could  securely 
hold  them  and  prevent  any  help  being  sent  to  their 
owner.  Then  he  sent  personal  messages  to  the 

242 


A  Captive  Emperor 

heads  of  the  principal  European  states  inviting  them 
to  take  concerted  measures  for  the  common  defence ; 
if  possible,  indeed,  to  come  to  Berlin,  or  send  a  spe- 
cial representative  to  observe  the  proceedings  and  dis- 
cuss the  situation.  On  his  cousin  of  England,  and 
his  friend  the  President  of  the  French  Kepublic, 
he  urged  the  seizure  of  the  loomotes  Hesperus  and 
Cynthia,  which  were  already  making  regular  trips 
between  New  York,  Paris,  and  London.  He  asked 
the  President  of  the  Italian  Republic  to  take  im- 
mediate military  possession  of  the  works  at  Elba, 
and  prevent  their  being  used  as  a  base  of  operations. 

Of  course  no  ruler  could  leave  his  kingdom  at  so 
critical  a  juncture^  but  the  request  to  send  envoys 
to  Berlin  to  observe  and  report  on  the  situation  was 
gladly  complied  with.  The  question  of  seizing  the 
motes  and  the  works  at  Elba  and  Campbelltown  was 
a  more  delicate  one.  How  it  was  dealt  with  we  shall 
see  later. 

About  ten  o'clock,  just  as  he  had  finished  his  de- 
spatches, he  received  word  of  the  attack  on  the  bar- 
racks at  Teltow,  the  destruction  of  the  roofs  of  the 
buildings,  and  the  difficulties  which  the  attacking 
party  was  meeting  in  trying  to  tear  down  the  walls. 
He  immediately  arose  and  expressed  his  intention 
of  proceeding  at  once  on  a  tour  of  inspection,  .going, 
indeed,  as  far  as  Teltow  if  necessary.  General  Miil- 
ler  was  present  and  heard  the  announcement. 

"  Will  your  Majesty  allow  me  to  make  a  sugges- 
tion?" 

243 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

"What  is  it?" 

"  I  suggest  the  question  whether  it  is  prudent,  in 
so  critical  a  situation,  that  your  Majesty  should  ex- 
pose his  person  to  a  possible  assault  by  the  enemy." 

"  But  I  surveyed  all  the  operations  yesterday  with- 
out any  attack  on  me  or  my  staff.  Besides,  what 
good  would  it  do  him  to  attack  my  person?  What 
could  he  do  with  me  ?  Cast  not  the  fashion  of  un- 
certain evils." 

"  There  are  occasions  when  we  should  act  in  direct 
opposition  to  this  maxim,  guarding  ourselves  most 
carefully  against  uncertain  evils,  and  this  is  one  of 
them.  If  there  ever  was  a  juncture  at  which  Ger- 
many could  not  spare  the  head  of  her  State,  this  is 
one." 

"  Never  shall  I  allow  Germany  to  feel  that,  at  the 
most  critical  moment  in  her  history,  her  Emperor 
heard  counsels  of  prudence  when  the  interests  of  his 
empire  were  at  stake.  Germany  can  dispense  with 
her  Emperor  better  than  he  can  say  a  word  or  per- 
form an  act  unworthy  of  his  house  or  of  his  exalted 
position.  He  cannot  stay  concealed  in  his  palace 
while  his  soldiers  are  being  carried  into  captivity. 
And,  if  he  should,  could  not  the  enemy  find  him 
there  as  easily  as  in  the  field  ?" 

"  If  such  is  your  Majesty's  view,  I  shall  gladly 
accompany  him  to  the  field.  In  that  case,  as  the 
body-guard  would  be  of  no  service  for  defence,  it 
might  be  well  that  we  went  alone.  We  should  at- 
tract less  attention  without  the  guard." 

244 


A  Captive  Emperor 

"  I  do  not  want  it  said  that  the  German  Emperor 
escaped  the  fate  of  his  army  by  a  subterfuge  of  any 
sort,  such  as  going  without  his  usual  guard  would  be. 
Telephone  Steinitz  and  such  other  generals,  as  are 
within  reach,  to  meet  me  at  Schoneberg  in  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  from  now." 

A  ride  of  half  an  hour  brought  the  Emperor  and 
Miiller  to  the  appointed  place,  where  several  other 
generals  joined  them,  one  by  one,  and  made  their 
reports.  From  Teltow  the  news  was  bad.  Most  of 
the  buildings  were  already  razed  to  the  ground,  and 
the  soldiers  were  being  carried  off  as  they  were  the 
day  before.  If  the  remainder  of  the  army  was  to 
be  saved,  it  must  be  concealed  in  the  casemates  of 
the  fortifications,  or  in  houses  where  their  presence 
might  not  be  suspected  by  the  enemy. 

As  these  alternatives  were  being  discussed,  a  fleet 
of  motes,  accompanied  by  a  flock  of  daddies,  were 
seen  in  the  air.  The  latter  pounced  upon  the  party 
like  fish-hawks  diving1  for  their  prey.  The  Em- 
peror felt  himself  lifted  out  of  his  saddle  as  if 
by  a  pair  of  powerful  arms.  In  a  moment  he  was 
seated  on  something,  he  knew  not  what,  gently 
enough,  yet  held  firmly  as  in  a  vice.  Then  he  saw 
the  ground  receding  below  him,  and  felt  the  blast  as 
of  a  heavy  wind  from  being  carried  through  the  air. 
The  daddie  had  him  seated  on  its  knees  while  it  was 
holding  him  in  its  hands  to  keep  him  from  falling, 
much  like  a  child  going  through 

"Ride  a  cock-horse  to  Banbury  Cross." 
245 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

The  experience  would  have  unnerved  an  ordinary 
man;  but  he  was  not  such.  Dazed  at  first,  he  re- 
covered his  mental  equilibrium  in  a  few  minutes  and 
calmly  awaited  his  fate.  In  less  than  ten  minutes 
he  saw  the  Concordia  before  him.  A  door  opened 
in  her  side,  through  which  he  was  lifted,  he  hardly 
knew  how.  Placed  upon  the  deck,  he  soon  recovered 
from  the  bewilderment  of  his  wild  flight.  He  was 
received  with  the  greatest  deference  by  an  usher  clad 
in  white,  who  showed  him  to  a  room.  As  he  passed 
along  he  glanced  with  some  interest  at  the  motto. 

Campbell,  suspecting  the  Emperor's  feelings,  con- 
sidered that  there  was  no  occasion  for  requesting  a 
personal  interview.  In  fact,  it  was  not  at  all  likely 
that  such  an  interview  would  be  productive  of  any 
good  result.  He  therefore  directed  that  the  Emperor 
be  taken  by  the  usher  into  one  of  the  cabins  and  ask- 
ed to  occupy  it  for  the  time  being.  The  usher  re- 
turned and  reported  his  duty  performed.  Campbell 
then  dictated  the  following,  which  was  written  in  a 
plain  hand  on  the  most  sumptuous  kind  of  paper : 

"  Should  Ms  Majesty,  the  German  Emperor,  be 
graciously  pleased  to  annul  and  revoke  his  general 
order  directing  that  no  quarter  be  shown  to  the  forces 
who  are  endeavoring  to  disband  his  armies,  an  oppor- 
tunity is  now  afforded  him  to  do  so." 

The  usher  was  sent  back  with  the  paper  and  with 
writing  materials.  The  latter  were  placed  on  a  table 
in  front  of  the  Emperor,  the  former  was  placed  in 
his  hands.  He  glanced  listlessly  at  it  for  a  moment, 

246 


A   Captive  Emperor 

and  then  laid  it  on  the  table  without  saying  a  word. 
The  usher,  in  doubt  whether  he  had  really  read  it 
or  not,  returned  to  report  to  his  master. 

The  Emperor  remained  in  gloomy  silence  for  half 
an  hour,  determined  that  the  first  question  or  the 
first  proposal  should  come  from  the  other  party,  who 
was  expected  to  feel  that  he,  as  Emperor,  was  not 
going  to  enter  into  any  arrangements  whatever. 
At  the  end  of  the  half-hour,  the  usher  paid  the  Em- 
peror a  second  visit,  doing  so  by  Campbell's  direc- 
tion in  the  most  courteous  and  ceremonious  manner. 

"  I  am  directed  to  say  to  your  Majesty  that  if  you 
have  any  communication,  written  or  verbal,  to  make 
either  to  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  or  to  your  own 
army  or  government,  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  will 
be  very  happy  to  consider  or  communicate  it." 

The  Emperor  replied  not  a  word,  still  maintain- 
ing a  dignified  and  gloomy  silence.  He  might  have 
been  a  blind  deaf-mute.  The  usher  returned  and 
reported  no  progress. 

"  How  does  he  look  ?"  asked  the  Owner. 

"  I  cannot  say  that  he  looks  at  all.  When  I  first 
showed  him  into  the  cabin  he  took  his  seat  by  the 
table,  with  one  hand  resting  upon  it,  and  his  face 
turned  towards  the  door.  When  I  went  in  again 
he  was  still  in  the  same  position.  He  might  be 
a  statue  for  all  the  notice  he  takes." 

An  uneasy  thought  entered  the  Owner's  mind. 

"  Is  he  wearing  his  sword  ?" 

"  Yes — that  is,  he  has  on  what  seems  a  sword." 
247 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

Campbell  mused.  "  It  would  be  a  terrible  thing 
if  he  should  kill  himself.  If  he  did,  would  I  have 
the  nerve  to  go  on  with  my  work?  I  think  not. 
If  he  wanted  to  speak  to  me  he  could  surely  have 
said  something  to  the  usher.  I  think  I  can  divine 
what  he  is  thinking.  Whatever  I  do  he  wants  to 
boast  that  he  never  deigned  to  address  me  a  word 
or  notice  my  presence,  even  when  he  was  my  pris- 
oner." 

This  divination  was  quite  correct.  The  Emperor 
was  thinking  thus :  "  I  have  yielded  to  a  brute  force 
which  has  taken  possession  of  my  person.  The  man 
who  wields  that  force  can  do  with  my  person  what 
he  pleases.  But  he  shall  not  have  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  a  Hohenzollern  proposed  terms  to 
him  or  even  honored  him  with  a  word  or  a  look.  He 
may  do  his  worst." 

The  question  of  the  sword  perplexed  Campbell 
extremely.  He  was  several  times  on  the  point  of 
sending  the  usher  to  ask  that  it  be  surrendered.  But 
what  if  it  was  refused?  To  attempt  to  take  it  by 
force  might  precipitate  what  he  wanted  to  avoid. 
He  finally  hoped  that  the  same  pride  which  led  the 
Emperor  to  take  the  stand  he  did  would  prevent  his 
doing  anything  so  vulgar  as  killing  himself.  So  he 
drew  up  the  following  paper : 

"  MOTE  '  CONCORDIA,'  May,  1946. 

"  Whereas,  his  Majesty,  the  German  Emperor, 
has  been  pleased  to  issue  a  general  order  to  his  army 

248 


A  Captive  Emperor 

that  no  quarter  be  shown  to  the  forces  of  the  Owner 
of  the  Motes,  who  are  endeavoring  to  disband  that 
army,  which  order  is  couched  in  the  following  terms : 
(Here  follows  the  order  as  we  have  given  it.)  Now, 
therefore,  protesting  against  this  my  act  being  ever 
taken  as  a  precedent,  or  being  justified  by  any  law, 
but  desiring  that  it  shall  ever  be  regarded  as  called 
forth  only  by  the  exigency  of  the  present  situation, 
it  is  hereby  ordered : 

"  That  the  said  Friedrich  Wilhelm,  German  Em- 
peror, be  kept  in  close  confinement  in  such  place 
as  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  may  from  time  to  time 
direct,  until  the  said  order  shall  be  revoked  or  an- 
nulled by  such  regency  or  other  authority  as  may 
wield  supreme  power  during  the  absence  of  the  Em- 
peror, and,  furthermore,  until  his  Majesty  shall  have 
indicated  his  concurrence  in  the  said  annulment. 

"  CAMPBELL, 
"  Owner  of  the  Motes." 

The  usher  carried  this  order  to  the  Emperor. 
The  latter  refused  even  to  look  at  it,  sitting  at  the 
table  unmoved.  The  usher  could  do  nothing  but 
return  to  his  chief  and  report. 

"  Did  he  not  read  the  order  ?"  asked  the  latter. 

"  Not  while  I  was  there.  I  offered  it  to  him,  but 
he  took  no  notice  of  my  movement.  So  I  laid  it  on 
the  table  by  his  side." 

"  I  suspect  that  he  looked  at  it  after  you  left.  But 
even  if  he  did  not,  it  will  make  no  difference." 

249 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

The  question  now  was  where  to  keep  the  prisoner. 
It  would  be  very  disturbing  to  the  Owner  to  have 
him  on  the  Concordia.  Campbelltown  was  too 
far  away,  and,  even  if  it  had  been  nearer,  to  send 
him  thither  would  involve  complications  with  the 
American  government.  There  was  only  one  spot 
in  Europe  over  which  Campbell  had  complete  con- 
trol, and  that  was  Elba.  The  principal  danger  in 
sending  him  thither  was  that  the  Italian  government 
might  attempt  his  release.  But  plans  were  all  made 
to  protect  the  island — an  easy  task,  because  it  could 
be  invaded  only  by  water,  and  the  motes  could  com- 
mand the  sea  even  better  than  the  land.  So  Elba 
was  chosen. 

The  works  at  Elba  had  been  placed  in  charge  of 
one  of  the  most  trusted  officers  of  the  Order  of  the 
Seraphim,  under  the  title  of  "  Commander/'  with 
whom,  however,  Campbell  had  had  no  communica- 
tion since  he  commenced  his  great  movement.  The 
latter  could  now  be  left  entirely  in  Gheen's  hands, 
and  it  was  imperative  that  he  himself  should  take 
personal  charge  of  affairs  at  his  only  base  of  oper- 
ations. Gheen  was  notified  to  go  on  with  the  work 
in  hand  according  to  his  best  judgment,  and  to  detail 
fifty  daddies  and  twenty  centipedes  to  accompany 
the  Owner  to  Elba.  A  small  mote  was  also  detailed 
for  the  transportation  of  the  Emperor.  This  was 
one  of  a  few  motes  de  luxe  which  had  been  fitted  up 
and  brought  along  for  the  transportation  of  distin- 
guished personages  with  whom  the  Owner  might 

250 


A  Captive  Emperor 

want  to  confer,  or  to  whom  he  might  tender  a  com- 
pliment. It  was  placed  alongside  the  Concordia, 
and  fastened  to  her  in  such  a  way  that  a  person  could 
step  from  one  into  the  other  with  entire  security. 
Its  captain  and  lieutenant  were  summoned  to  the 
Owner's  room  to  receive  their  instructions. 

Campbell  now  began  to  be  uneasy  lest  he  had  fail- 
ed to  treat  the  Emperor  with  due  courtesy.  Under 
ordinary  circumstances  he  ought  to  have  received 
him  in  person  on  his  first  arrival,  as  the  master  of 
a  house  receives  a  distinguished  guest.  Perhaps 
it  was  owing  to  this  neglect  of  the  amenities  that  the 
Emperor  had  demeaned  himself  so  haughtily.  So 
when  everything  was  ready  for  the  Emperor's  de- 
parture the  usher  again  presented  himself. 

"  I  am  directed  by  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  to  in- 
quire whether  it  will  be  agreeable  to  your  Majesty 
to  allow  him  to  pay  his  respects  in  person  before  your 
Majesty's  departure.  If  it  will  be  agreeable  he  will 
do  so  immediately." 

During  the  two  hours  of  the  Emperor's  enforced 
leisure  he  had  enjoyed  a  better  opportunity  for  re- 
flection than  had  ever  before  been  afforded  him. 
As  a  result  of  this  reflection  certain  facts  which, 
though  he  had  known  them  from  infancy,  had  mod- 
estly kept  themselves  in  the  background,  now  ob- 
truded themselves  on  his  thoughts  in  a  very  disagree- 
able way.  One  of  these  facts  was  that  Nature  had 
made  emperors  on  the  same  general  plan  that  she 
had  made  peasants  and  philosophers,  subjecting  them 

251 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

all  alike  to  the  common  limitations  of  humanity. 
One  of  her  inexorable  laws  was  that  the  man  who 
ate  nothing  in  the  morning  but  a  biscuit  should  get 
very  hungry  before  noon.  It  was  now  noon.  A 
principle  of  international  law  that  he  had  long  ago 
been  taught  also  insisted  on  presenting  itself  in  a  new 
light.  It  was  that  accomplished  facts  were  to  be 
accepted,  how  unpleasant  soever  they  might  be. 
Two  accomplished  facts  stared  him  in  the  face.  He 
was  a  prisoner  and  he  was  hungry.  Not  being  aware 
of  the  excellent  culinary  arrangements  in  mote  92, 
on  which  he  was  soon  to  embark,  he  began  to  reflect 
seriously  on  the  possible  consequences  to  his  stomach 
of  a  continued  policy  of  absolute  silence. 

As  to  receiving  Campbell,  his  feelings  were  mixed. 
He  did  not  want  to  see  him.  And  yet  he  was  incensed 
at  the  slight  shown  his  royal  person  by  Campbell's 
not  receiving  him.  An  interview  would  have  been 
disagreeable  to  both  parties,  and  yet  it  could  not  be 
avoided  without  discourtesy  on  one  side  or  the  other. 
But  he  must  relax  a  little. 

"  I  am  a  prisoner,"  he  at  length  replied,  "  and  have 
nothing  to  say  on  the  subject  of  my  visitors/' 

"  Will  your  Majesty  allow  me  to  explain  the  situ- 
ation more  exactly  ?" 

"  I  will  listen  to  anything  you  may  have  to  say." 

"  I  then  beg  leave  to  say,  on  behalf  of  the  Owner 
of  the  Motes,  that  he  has  refrained  from  trespassing 
on  your  Majesty's  privacy  from  a  fear  that  a  person- 
al interview  might  not  be  agreeable  to  you,  and  a 

252 


A  Captive  Emperor 

feeling  that  no  good  result  would  flow  from  it.  As 
you  are  about  to  leave  the  Concordia,  he  desired  me 
to  make  this  explanation,  and  to  ascertain  whether 
he  was  wrong  in  this  impression.  Will  your  Majesty 
be  pleased  to  favor  me  with  a  more  precise  statement 
of  his  wishes  on  the  subject  of  receiving  the  Owner 
of  the  Motes  ?" 

"  I  have  no  wishes  on  the  subject.  If  the  gentle- 
man presents  himself,  I  shall  of  course  receive  him. 
That  is  all  I  can  say." 

"  I  fear  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  will  be  embar- 
rassed by  his  lack  of  certain  knowledge  what  course 
on  his  part  will  be  most  agreeable  to  your  Majesty. 
My  duty  will  end  with  reporting  what  you  have 
said." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  usher  returned,  accom- 
panied by  the  captain  of  mote  92. 

"  I  am  directed  by  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  to  say 
that,  acting  on  his  own  judgment,  he  reaches  the  con- 
clusion that  a  personal  interview  will  not  be  agree- 
able to  your  Majesty.  He  therefore  presents  his 
apologies,  accompanied  by  his  earnest  hope  for  your 
Majesty's  speedy  return  to  his  empire.  I  now  have 
the  honor  to  present  the  captain  of  the  mote,  who 
has  been  detailed  to  take  you  from  the  Concordia" 

"  If  you  would  like  some  lunch,  sir — I  mean,  your 
Majesty — we  have  it  nearly  prepared  on  my  mote, 
if  you — your  Majesty  will  come  along  with  me." 

The  captain  stood  back,  waiting  for  his  distin- 
guished prisoner  to  move.  The  latter  was  perplexed. 

253 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

He  had,  of  course,  read  the  order  for  his  imprison- 
ment, but  had  no  idea  how  or  where  it  would  be 
carried  out,  and  could  not  ask.  He  suspected  that 
the  present  move  was  to  his  prison,  and  so  would 
rather  have  stood  where  he  was.  But  to  what  new 
humiliation  might  he  not  subject  himself  by  refus- 
ing to  stir?  Moved  by  this  consideration,  he  al- 
lowed himself  to  be  ushered  to  the  door  of  the  mote. 

He  winced  a  little  on  stepping  into  the  other  mote, 
half  a  mile  in  the  air,  but  soon  recovered  his  bal- 
ance. He  asked  not  a  question  as  to  where  he  was 
going  or  what  was  to  be  done  with  him.  The  mote 
cast  loose  immediately  and  started  for  Elba,  preceded 
by  the  Concordia,  which,  being  faster,  arrived  there 
first.  This  gave  the  Owner  time  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  the  reception  of  his  prisoner-guest,  and  as- 
certain whether  any  hostile  attempt  had  been  made 
by  the  Italian  government.  The  Concordia  landed 
late  in  the  afternoon,  and  was  at  once  visited  by 
the  commander  and  his  two  lieutenants,  Johnson  and 
Miles. 

"  Well,  I  am  glad  to  see  you  and  find  tilings  here 
undisturbed.  Has  anything  happened?  Have  the 
Italians  shown  any  sign  of  hostility  ?" 

"  You  cannot  be  gladder  to  see  us  than  we  are  to 
see  you.  Are  you  not  getting  us  all  into  a  dreadful 
scrape  ?  The  Leghorn  papers  tell  us  of  your  attack 
on  the  German  army;  and  only  half  an  hour  ago 
Benson  wired  me  that  you  had  carried  off  the  Em- 
peror, no  one  knew  where." 

254 


A   Captive   Emperor 

"We'll  talk  about  that  later.  I  want  to  know 
whether  we  are  to  be  attacked  here.  Have  you  any 
news  as  to  that  ?" 

"  Only  what  is  in  the  morning  papers.  Have  you 
seen  them  ?" 

"  No,  what  do  they  say  ?" 

"  The  German  government  has  proposed  to  all  the 
powers  that  their  Mediterranean  fleets  combine  and 
seize  this  place,  bombarding  it  if  necessary.  Aus- 
tria and  England  have  partly  consented ;  Italy  is  so 
far  non-committal,  and  France  has  not  yet  been  heard 
from.  The  Italian  police  have  been  very  inquisitive, 
but  I  have  not  heard  of  any  hostile  movement  on 
their  part." 

"  If  that's  their  move,  I  hope  to  be  ready  for  them 
by  this  time  to-morrow.  Meanwhile,  we  have  a 
little  business  to  attend  to  for  the  Emperor.  He  will 
arrive  in  No.  92  in  about  an  hour,  and  I  propose  to 
keep  him  in  my  house,  under  close  guard,  I  remain- 
ing here.  Let  Miles  make  the  arrangements  at  once. 
He  is  to  be  treated  with  all  the  deference  due  to  his 
rank,  but  not  allowed  to  leave  the  house.  James  will 
go  with  you,  and  assist  in  receiving  his  Majesty  with 
all  the  honors.  Trust  him  for  that.  He  did  it  roy- 
ally this  morning!" 

The  Emperor  had  not  deigned  to  speak  one  word 
during  the  entire  journey  except  to  the  waiter  who 
served  his  lunch.  He  preserved  the  same  silence 
when  he  was  received  by  the  officers  and  shown  to  his 
lodgings.  The  limits  within  which  he  was  to  be 

255 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

confined,  including  a  parlor,  bedroom,  and  dressing- 
room,  were  shown  to  him,  and  he  was  left  to  himself. 
Then,  for  the  first  time,  human  nature  asserted  itself, 
and  he  expressed  a  wish.  It  was  that  his  valet  might 
be  brought  to  him. 


XVI 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

IT  took  three  days  to  prepare  for  the  naval  attack 
on  Elba.  Let  us  take  advantage  of  the  lull  to 
view  the  storm  which  was  raging  over  Europe, 
and  learn  how  the  little  island  came  to  be  chosen  as 
the  site  of  Uraniberg — the  seat  of  empire. 

The  latter  can  be  told  in  a  few  words.  Campbell 
wanted  an  island  for  his  seat,  because  an  island 
could  be  more  readily  defended  against  attack  or  in- 
vasion, and  would  be  more  easily  commanded,  than 
a  region  with  purely  artificial  boundaries.  He  want- 
ed to  place  his  seat  in  Europe  rather  than  his  own 
country,  because  the  latter  with  its  traditional  policy 
of  peace  and  good-will  would  require  less  of  his  at- 
tention than  the  war-ridden  countries  of  Europe.  He 
wanted  a  seat  favored  by  its  climate,  and  so  pre- 
ferred the  Mediterranean  to  the  Baltic.  He  would 
have  preferred  a  situation  farther  west — one  of  the 
Balearic  Islands,  for  example.  But  the  rugged  sur- 
face of  these  mountain  ranges,  rising  above  the  water, 
could  not  be  made  the  site  for  a  great  city^  such  as  he 
contemplated.  So  Elba  was  chosen.  These  reasons 

B  257 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

seem  good  enough  to  do  away  with  the  suspicion 
frequently  expressed,  that  it  was  Tiana  who  really 
fixed  the  site  of  Uraniberg.  Yet,  we  must  admit  that 
she  made  the  founder  better  satisfied  with  the  cir- 
cumstances that  dictated  his  choice. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  Campbell  had  all  along 
taken  every  measure  that  his  foresight  could  suggest 
to  guard  his  base  of  operations  against  a  naval  attack. 
The  commander  of  the  place  was,  next  to  Gheen,  the 
most  trusted  officer  of  the  Angelic  Order;  and  as 
soon  as  the  details  of  construction  of  the  daddie  had 
been  perfected  a  number  of  these  instruments  were 
made  expressly  for  use  in  dealing  with  armed  ships. 
Now  that  an  attack  was  imminent,  it  was  not  prudent 
to  remain  in  ignorance  of  what  the  world  might  be 
about  to  do.  So  the  Italian  journals  were  sent  for 
and  eagerly  scanned. 

If  he  had  not  felt  himself  across  the  Kubicon,  with 
his  bridges  all  burned  behind  him,  their  contents 
might  well  have  appalled  him.  From  every  quarter 
only  one  story  came — that  of  unbridled  denuncia- 
tion and  fierce  resistance.  The  London  Times,  ever 
mindful  of  its  dignity,  approached  the  nearest  to 
moderation  and  reasonableness  in  its  comments.  But 
even  it  had  no  word  of  apology : 

"  Never  was  so  great  an  opportunity  placed  with- 
in the  grasp  of  a  human  hand,  and  never  did  the  pos- 
sessor of  an  opportunity  waste  it  as  Campbell  has 
done.  Wielding  the  power  he  did,  all  the  world 
would  have  listened  with  respectful  attention  to  any 

258 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

proposals  he  might  have  made  to  insure  that  his  en- 
terprise should  be  productive  of  nothing  but  that 
good  to  mankind  which  he  declared  to  be  his  supreme 
object.  The  powers  were  ready  to  deliberate  on 
the  subject  and  devise  from  time  to  time  the  meas- 
ures best  adapted  to  meet  the  emergency.  They 
would  naturally  have  looked  to  the  United  States 
to  take  the  lead  in  executing  their  plans.  He  would 
thus,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  leading  nations 
of  the  world,  have  earned  for  himself  imperishable 
fame.  All  this  he  has  thrown  away  with  a  reckless- 
ness to  which  no  parallel  can  be  found  in  history. 
He  has  become  not  only  a  criminal,  but  an  outlaw. 
Whatever  power  succeeds  in  capturing  him  may  deal 
with  him  at  its  own  will.  That  his  forces  must  soon 
be  exhausted,  no  reasonable  person  can  doubt.  All 
that  is  to  be  feared  is  a  general  attempt  on  the  part 
of  some  one  nation  to  seize  the  remnants  of  his  power. 
This  can  easily  be  guarded  against  by  a  concurrent 
agreement,  which  we  believe  can  be  reached  without 
even  waiting  for  the  final  downfall  of  the  man  who 
has  pitted  his  strength  against  that  of  the  world." 

These  denunciations,  universal  though  they  were, 
formed  only  one  of  the  clouds  in  the  horizon.  Yet 
blacker  ones  were  that  men  everywhere  lost  their 
heads.  At  the  exchanges  and  bourses  stocks  and 
bonds  of  every  kind  were  being  sacrificed  in  so  mad 
a  rush  that  these  institutions  were  closed  through 
the  voluntary  act  of  the  brokers  themselves.  Uni- 
versal bankruptcy  seemed  to  stare  the  commercial 

259 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

world  in  the  face.  Laborers  were  everywhere  thrown 
out  of  employment,  because  all  demand  had  ceased, 
and  employers  did  not  know  what  was  to  come  next. 
People  were  going  insane  with  excitement  in  such 
numbers  that  the  asylums  would  not  contain  the 
crowds  that  were  brought  to  their  doors  for  treat- 
ment. Mobs  were  everywhere  rampant,  especially 
in  Germany.  Sometimes  the  police  could  control 
them  and  sometimes  not.  They  were  destroying  life 
and  property  in  every  direction.  The  requisition  of 
the  German  government  on  that  of  the  United  States 
to  prosecute  Campbell  for  violation  of  the  laws  of 
neutrality  had  been  promptly  answered  with  the  as- 
surance that  every  measure  in  the  power  of  the  gov- 
ernment would  be  taken  to  execute  the  law.  War- 
rants had  accordingly  been  issued,  and  whenever 
Campbell  should  return  to  his  own  country  he  would 
at  once  become  a  prisoner  at  the  bar  of  justice. 

But  what  was  the  world  to  do  ?  We  might  almost 
say  that  no  two  men  were  agreed  except  on  a  single 
point.  The  offender  must  be  resisted  to  the  bitter 
end.  Every  journal  declaimed  in  its  own  way  and 
proposed  plans  from  day  to  day,  only  to  have  them 
shown  impracticable  the  day  following. 

One  idea  was  to  seize  all  the  motes  that  could  be 
found  and  send  them  over  to  fight  the  insurgent 
owner.  The  proposal  of  the  Emperor  that  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  and  the  English  and  French  gov- 
ernments cause  the  seizure  of  the  Cynthia  and  Hes- 
perus met  with  general  approval.  But  what  could 

260 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

have  been  done  with  them  after  they  were  seized? 
To  look  for  Gheen,  as  he  was  flying  from  place  to 
place,  would  have  been  useless.  He  encamped  every 
night  on  a  different  spot,  and  no  one  knew  before- 
hand where  that  spot  would  be.  No  one  knew  how  to 
make  a  centipede  or  a  daddie,  or  how  to  construct 
any  of  the  apparatus  that  Campbell  was  employing. 
And  if  men  did  learn,  weeks  of  practice  would  still  be 
required  to  use  the  machines.  The  British  and 
French  governments  had  agreed  that  the  neutrality 
of  the  motes  should  be  respected.  The  terms  of  this 
agreement  we  have  already  stated.  Campbell  had 
been  extremely  cautious  that  no  excuse  for  violating 
it  should  be  offered,  and  nothing  to  be  used  by  him 
was  transported  in  these  vehicles. 

The  seizure  of  the  German  Emperor  added  new 
fuel  to  the  flame.  If  it  did  not  increase  it,  it  was 
only  because  any  increase  was  impossible.  The  same 
might  be  said  of  the  suicide  of  the  Czar  of  Russia, 
which  occurred  the  moment  it  was  discovered  that 
the  annihilation  of  the  Russian  military  power  was 
to  be  as  complete  as  that  of  the  German.  Messages 
looking  to  a  conference  of  the  heads  of  the  European 
states  were  sent  to  and  fro,  but  none  of  these  heads 
felt  justified  in  leaving  his  kingdom  in  such  an  emer- 
gency. 

The  proposed  joint  attack  of  the  navies  upon  Elba 
looked  so  feasible  that  it  was  received  with  universal 
approval.  A  new  impetus  was  given  the  proposal 
when  it  became  known  that  the  seat  of  the  Owner  of 

261 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

the  Motes  had  been  chosen  for  the  German  Emperor's 
prison.  It  was  felt  that  such  an  indignity  to  the 
head  of  the  leading  State  in  Europe  was  not  to  be 
tolerated,  and  the  only  question  was  how  to  release 
him. 

As  he  was  imprisoned  on  Italian  territory,  the 
government  of  Italy  was  looked  to  to  take  the  lead. 
But  this  government  showed  great  lukewarmness  in 
the  premises.  The  fact  was  that,  under  arrange- 
ments which  Campbell  had  begun  to  make  with  it, 
Italy  was  to  be  the  first  European  beneficiary  of  his 
enterprise.  And  when  called  upon  to  seize  its  own 
island  of  Elba  by  military  force,  it  had  a  more  valid 
excuse  than  this.  It  was  impossible  to  send  an  army 
over  from  the  mainland  without  its  being  speedily 
destroyed  by  the  forces  which  Campbell  had  placed 
there  for  its  defence.  It  was  not  for  a  moment  to  be 
supposed  that  the  position  destined  to  become  his 
main  base  of  operations  had  been  left  in  an  unde- 
fended condition;  it  was  well  known  that  after 
having  intrusted  the  disarmament  of  the  Russian 
armies  to  Gheen,  he  had  remained  at  Elba,  making 
every  preparation  for  its  defence.  A  cloud  of  dad- 
dies which  appeared  from  time  to  time  over  his  head- 
quarters showed  that  he  was  preparing  for  an  emer- 
gency. 

But  a  naval  attack  looked  more  hopeful.  It  is 
true  that  Campbell  had  spoken  of  hauling  the  navies 
of  the  world  ashore  as  a  part  of  his  programme.  But 
no  way  of  doing  this  was  apparent,  and,  in  any  case, 

262 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

if  all  the  navies  together  could  not  fight  the  Owner 
of  the  Motes,  the  sooner  they  were  sold  for  old  iron 
the  better  for  all  concerned.  It  was  agreed  that  the 
combined  fleets  should  be  under  command  of  the 
ranking  officer,  who  proved  to  be  the  British  ad- 
miral. The  port  of  Bastia,  on  the  east  coast  of 
Corsica,  about  forty  miles  from  Elba,  was  chosen 
as  the  rendezvous,  where  preparations  for  the  attack 
should  be  made.  The  English,  German,  Italian,  and 
Austrian  fleets  all  reached  this  point  four  days  after 
the  capture  of  the  Emperor. 

The  French  fleet  failed  to  come.  Its  non-appear- 
ance and  the  general  attitude  of  the  French  govern- 
ment caused  great  uneasiness.  It  began  to  make 
conditions  as  to  the  command  and  the  movements 
of  the  combined  fleets  of  so  dilatory  a  character  as 
led  to  the  suspicion  of  an  arriere-pensee  of  some 
sort.  But  there  was  no  time  for  dilly-dallying,  and 
the  other  four  powers  ordered  their  fleets  to  proceed 
without  regard  to  France. 

Campbell's  determination  and  courage  rose  to  the 
height  of  the  crisis.  He  began  to  suspect  that  there 
was  something  illogical  in  the  idea  of  forcibly  putting 
an  end  to  war  without  even  a  battle,  and  began  to  feel 
like  accepting  a  challenge.  Still  he  felt  some  con- 
cern lest  his  motives  might  be  misconstrued  if  he 
made  an  attack  on  the  fleets  before  they  at- 
tacked him,  especially  if,  as  was  inevitable,  loss  of 
life  should  result.  So  to  satisfy  his  own  conscience,  if 
for  nothing  else,  he  decided  to  make  public  his  in- 

263 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

tention  to  defend  his  position  at  every  hazard.  The 
best  medium  of  communication  seemed  to  be  the 
London  Times,  to  which  he  telegraphed  the  follow- 
ing communication  as  soon  as  he  heard  of  the  pro- 
posed movement: 

"  I  understand  that  the  powers  contemplate  a  com- 
bined naval  attack  on  my  station  at  Elba.  As  such 
a  course  will  lead  to  a  speedy  solution  of  the  im- 
portant question  whether  I  possess  the  power  to 
destroy  the  navies  of  Europe  as  well  as  to  disband 
its  armies,  and  as  such  a  solution  may  be  desirable 
in  the  general  interests  of  humanity,  I  cannot  dis- 
approve of  the  proposed  attack.  At  the  same  time, 
I  must  express  the  fear  that  the  conflict  which  will 
thus  be  precipitated  will  be  attended  with  loss  of  life, 
as  my  preparations  for  dealing  with  armed  ships  are 
far  from  being  as  complete  as  those  for  disarming 
land  forces.  I  have  to  add  that  I  shall  regard  any 
entrance  of  war-ships  into  the  Ligurian  Sea  as  being 
made  with  hostile  intent,  and  shall  take  such  meas- 
ures for  their  destruction  as  I  may  have  at  com- 
mand. 

"  CAMPBELL, 
"  Owner  of  the  Motes." 

In  issuing  this  challenge  our  hero  builded  far  bet- 
ter than  he  knew.  It  was  characteristic  of  the  system 
of  fatalism  that,  when  the  victim  was  warned  of  his 
fate,  and,  in  consequence,  took  every  measure  he 

264 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

could  to  guard  against  it,  these  very  measures  proved 
to  be  instruments  in  executing  the  decree.  It  was 
so  in  the  present  case.  The  naval  authorities,  thus 
forewarned,  determined  to  elude  their  adversary  by 
a  change  of  plan.  The  post  of  rendezvous  was 
changed  from  Bastia  to  San  Florenza,  on  the  west 
shore  of  Corsica ;  and  the  fleet  was  to  sail  from  this 
point  for  its  destination  by  night,  so  as  to  reach  the 
harbor  of  Porto  Ferrajo  by  daybreak,  and  begin 
bombarding  the  place,  or  landing  sailors,  before 
their  presence  was  known  to  the  defenders. 

As  fate  would  have  it,  the  latter  could  not  have 
wished  for  any  better  policy  than  this.  Looking 
back,  it  does  seem  curious  that  the  military  powers 
should  have  supposed  that  their  adversary,  who  had 
been  planning  everything  for  years,  would  have  fail- 
ed to  be  on  his  guard  against  a  night  attack,  and,  with 
all  the  contrivances  he  had  at  hand,  would  not  be 
more  at  home  by  night  than  by  day.  But  perhaps 
we  should  have  done  no  better  than  our  grandfathers 
in  such  an  emergency. 

The  fleets  gathered  according  to  orders.  A  study 
of  the  problem  by  the  admirals  and  captains  in  coun- 
cil led  to  a  plan  by  which  it  might  be  possible  for  the 
ships  to  defend  themselves  mutually  against  any  at- 
tack by  motes.  Machine-guns  throwing  shot  of  a 
weight  sufficient  to  penetrate  either  a  mote  or  a  dad- 
die  could  without  difficulty  be  mounted  in  the  tops 
of  the  men-of-war.  To  reach  any  one  of  these  guns 
without  encountering  its  fire,  the  attacking  party 

265 


His   Wisdom    the    Defender 

would  have  to  come  towards  it  from  above.  The 
search-lights  could  be  turned  upon  the  descending 
motes;  then  all  the  ships  around  could  fire  at  them 
as  they  were  coming  down  without  endangering  each 
other. 

The  combined  fleet  was  sixty  strong  in  ships,  and 
the  crews  numbered  nearly  forty  thousand.  The  plan 
of  attack  and  defence,  of  which  these  were  the  main 
features,  was  matured  on  the  evening  of  June  26. 
The  whole  of  the  next  day  was  spent  in  mounting 
machine-guns  so  that  they  could  be  fired  in  the  air, 
and  practising  the  men  in  handling  them.  Before 
nightfall  all  was  ready,  and  sunset  was  awaited  with 
the  greatest  anxiety,  for  then  the  combined  fleets  were 
to  leave  their  moorings. 

But  the  sun  had  not  set  before  the  officers  were 
astonished,  and  the  men  filled  with  superstitious  fear, 
by  the  appearance  of  a  score  of  motes — "  aerial 
ships  "  they  were  then  called — at  a  great  height  in 
the  blue  sky.  Scarcely  one,  even  of  the  officers,  had 
yet  seen  a  mote.  Half  an  hour  after  the  aerial  fleet 
was  first  sighted,  it  was  in  the  zenith,  and  there  seem- 
ed to  come  to  anchor,  so  immovable  was  its  position. 
This  very  stillness  added  to  Jack's  discomfort.  He 
was  always  a  superstitious  fellow,  and  the  calmness 
with  which  the  demoniac  power  looked  down  upon 
him  suggested  the  placid  certainty  with  which  a  gi- 
gantic vulture  might  watch  its  prey.  As  minutes, 
which  seemed  hours,  passed  away,  and  the  enemy  re- 
mained as  if  nailed  to  the  sky,  the  feeling  extended 

266 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

from  sailors  to  lieutenants,  from  them  to  captains, 
perhaps  even  from  the  captains  to  the  admirals. 

"  There's  somethin'  fallin'  from  one  of  them 
things,  sir." 

The  officer  addressed  looked  up.  It  was  not  from 
one  thing  alone  that  something  was  falling,  but  from 
all.  A  few  moments  later  a  crash  was  heard  and  a 
violent  shock  felt. 

"  What  is  that  ?"  said  the  captain,  as  he  ran  amid- 
ship. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  asked  all  the  officers,  as  they  gather- 
ed round  a  hole  in  the  deck  large  enough  for  a  man 
to  pass  through.  "  Dynamite  ?"• 

"  No,  the  sound  was  not  that  of  an  explosion." 

"  See,  there's  a  hole  in  the  main  deck,  too !" 

"  Go  below  and  see  what's  to  pay." 

Before  this  last  order  could  be  executed  a  report 
as  to  what  was  to  pay  became  no  longer  necessary. 
The  sound  of  rushing  water  in  the  boiler  space  was 
heard  by  all.  Men  ran  up  from  below  reporting 
that  the  ship  was  filling. 

"  Lower  the  boats !     Carpenter,  take  soundings !" 

Within  the  space  of  five  minutes  experiences  such 
as  these  were  suffered  on  twenty  of  the  sixty  ships. 
Twenty  others  had  heard  or  seen  something  drop  in 
the  water  alongside  of  them,  but  did  not  know  what  it 
was.  Signals  of  distress  arose  from  the  first  twenty, 
and  boats  were  lowered  from  all  to  aid  their  sinking 
companions  or  save  their  own  men.  Twelve  thou- 
sand of  the  latter  were  landed;  the  remainder  were 

267 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

missing  or  were  added  to  the  complement  of  the 
remaining  ships.  The  number  of  ships  afloat  was 
reduced  to  forty.  The  enemy  was  seen  sailing  slow- 
ly away  in  the  sky,  as  if  satisfied  with  what  had  been 
done. 

The  British  flag-ship  was  among  the  forty  left 
afloat,  and  her  admiral  was  the  coolest  and  most  reso- 
lute of  men,  a  worthy  successor  of  Nelson.  The  fleet 
of  boats  had  not  done  picking  up  the  men  struggling 
in  the  water  or  clinging  to  the  spars  of  the  sunken 
ships  when  he  signalled  requesting  a  conference  with 
the  other  admirals.  They  all  gathered  in  his  cabin. 

"  It  is  now  sunset,  the  hour  for  sailing.  Were  my 
own  fleet  the  only  one  concerned,  I  should  immedi- 
ately order  it  to  proceed  to  the  attack,  but,  in  view  of 
the  deplorable  accidents  to  so  many  of  our  ships,  I 
deem  it  courteous  to  ask  you  whether  you  are  ready 
before  giving  sailing  orders.  If  you  are,  we  sail 
at  once  for  Ferrajo,  as  agreed  upon." 

The  Austrian  and  Italian  admirals  protested 
against  so  imprudent  a  course.  The  German  was 
silent.  He  thought  of  his  imprisoned  monarch,  and 
could  not  lag  behind  when  an  Englishman  proposed 
to  rescue  him,  whatever  he  might  think  of  the  pru- 
dence or  practicability  of  the  attempt. 

"  I  think  we  should  be  encouraged  by  what  has 
happened,"  said  Admiral  Collins.  "  The  enemy  has 
spent  his  force,  and  will  pass  the  night  in  fancied  se- 
curity, feeling  sure  that  he  has  disabled  us.  These 

268 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

are  the  very  conditions  under  which  he  should  be  at- 
tacked, without  an  hour's  delay." 

"  We  should  at  least  await  further  orders  from 
our  governments,"  said  the  Austrian. 

"  That  will  involve  a  day's  delay  and  give  the 
enemy  so  much  more  time  to  prepare  himself.  I 
have  my  orders  and  mean  to  act  on  them." 

The  result  was  that  the  English  and  German  fleets, 
numbering  twenty-five  ships,  sailed  to  the  attack, 
the  other  two  fleets  awaiting  orders.  While  the  for- 
mer are  on  their  way,  let  us  take  a  glance  at  Elba. 

We  have  already  intimated  that  Campbell  had  not 
been  able  to  contrive  any  quite  satisfactory  method 
of  attacking  and  rendering  harmless  a  fleet  of  war- 
ships. The  problem  was  to  sink  the  ships  or  haul 
them  ashore  without  killing  or  drowning  the  sailors, 
and  without  exposing  his  own  men  to  danger  from 
their  fire.  One  plan  was  to  drop  battering-rams 
from  a  height  of  several  thousand  feet,  of  such  size 
and  weight  as  to  go  through  a  ship  from  top  to  bot- 
tom. But  he  foresaw  the  difiiculty,  perhaps  impos- 
sibility, of  adjusting  the  position  of  the  mote  and 
the  moment  of  dropping  the  ram  with  such  precision 
that  the  latter  would  strike  the  ship  in  its  fall,  espe- 
cially if  the  ship  were  in  motion.  Still,  he  determined 
to  try  the  experiment,  and  had  fifty  such  rams  con- 
structed. Each  .was  a  steel-pointed  cylinder,  a  foot 
or  more  in  diameter,  and  twelve  feet  long,  filled  in 
the  interior  with  lead,  and  weighing  some  five  tons. 

We  have  seen  what  measure  of  success  was  gained 
269 


His    Wisdom   the    Defender 

by  this  contrivance.  If  he  had  foreseen  how  well  it 
would  work,  he  might  have  sunk  the  whole  of  the 
combined  fleets  with  the  greatest  ease,  as  he  had  act- 
ually sunk  one-third  of  their  ships. 

But  there  was  no  time  to  cry  over  lost  opportuni- 
ties. The  war-ships  were  steaming  ahead.  They 
were  rounding  Cape  Cor  so  when  search-lights  more 
powerful  than  their  own  shone  on  them  from  above 
and  around.  JSTo  doubt  could  rem,ain  that  their 
movements  were  as  well  known  at  Elba  as  if  they 
had  been  made  by  day.  The  fleet  reached  Porto 
Ferrajo  at  dawn  without  any  other  incident.  Ad- 
miral Collins  inwardly  felicitated  himself  on  his 
foresight.  The  boats  were  lowered  and  men  began 
to  jump  into  them.  Before  they  could  push  off,  the 
admiral  began  to  lose  his  self-complacence  at  the 
sight  of  thirty  daddies  rising  up  from  the  town  to 
the  height  of  a  thousand  feet.  Telescopes  showed 
that  a  cord  was  suspended  from  each.  Tracing 
these  cords  downwards  something  that  looked  like  an 
enormous  shell  was  seen  at  the  end  of  each.  The 
way  in  which  the  machine-guns  were  to  be  evaded 
was  now  plain.  If  these  objects  were  torpedoes,  the 
daddies  could  explode  them  alongside  a  ship  and  yet 
remain  a  thousand  feet  in  the  air.  At  this  height 
it  was  very  doubtful  whether  the  machine-guns  of 
the  fleet  could  be  pointed  at  them.  They  were  soon 
suspended  over  the  fleet.  Then  one  after  another 
they  slowly  descended  in  such  a  way  that  each  tor- 
pedo should  gently  dip  into  the  water  immediately 

270 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

alongside  a  ship.  The  torpedoes  were  so  constructed 
that  a  pressure  of  ten  feet  of  water  upon  an  air-bag 
attached  to  each  would  explode  the  weapon,  which 
contained  two  tons  of  nitrogelatine. 

As  the  daddies  descended,  the  machine-guns  from 
the  ships  directed  a  rather  wild  fire  into  the  air. 
Accurate  aim  was  impossible,  because  no  idea  of  the 
range  could  be  formed ;  but  a  better  defence  was  made 
than  had  been  made  by  any  of  the  armies  which  had 
been  attacked.  As  the  torpedoes  approached  the 
water,  the  daddies  from  which  they  were  hung  had 
to  move  with  great  deliberation  so  as  to  get  their 
charges  into  the  right  position.  This  gave  the  gun- 
ners their  opportunity.  As  the  charges  began  to 
explode  here  and  there  among  the  fleet,  several  dad- 
dies, one  after  the  other,  were  struck  by  shot.  The 
men  inside  two  of  them  were  killed,  and  three  or 
four  others  were  so  damaged  that  they  dropped  into 
the  water.  The  remainder  reached  the  shore  in 
safety  after  exploding  their  torpedoes.  The  result 
at  this  stage  of  the  contest  was  that  four  men  out 
of  sixty  on  Campbell's  side  were  lost,  while  all  but 
a  half-dozen  of  the  ships  were  sunk  or  sinking. 

Although  the  self-complacency  of  the  admiral  had 
evaporated,  his  resolution  was  as  firm  as  ever.  It  was 
to  be  determined,  once  for  all,  whether  one  of  the 
most  powerful  naval  forces  ever  collected  could  or 
could  not  successfully  cope  with  the  new  machinery 
of  war ;  and  the  decision  of  this  question  justified  the 
most  heroic  measures.  If  the  sinking  ships  had  to 

271 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

be  abandoned,  the  men  should  take  to  the  boats  with 
their  arms  in  their  hands  and  row  to  the  shore. 

Never  before  had  men  escaped  from  drowning 
in  order  to  form  an  attacking  force.  Whether  to 
save  their  lives  or  to  storm  the  place,  there  was  but 
one  thing  to  be  done.  The  boats  must  land  their 
men  as  rapidly  as  possible  and  then  return  to  take 
off  those  who  might  be  left.  The  water  where  the 
ships  had  come  to  anchor  was  so  shallow  that  the 
upper  works  of  the  sunken  ones  were  mostly  above 
its  surface,  and  to  these  clung  such  of  the  crews  as 
could  not  at  first  be  taken  in  the  boats. 

Besides  the  daddies  which  had  attacked  the  ships, 
there  were  a  number  held  in  reserve.  These  attack- 
ed the  boats  with  their  claws.  But  an  annoying 
musketry  fire  was  kept  up  from  the  boats,  which,  al- 
though it  did  not  penetrate  the  walls  of  the  aerial 
machines,  served  to  distract  the  men  who  were  in 
them.  The  boats  were  too  heavy  to  be  lifted  out  of 
the  water,  and  when  the  effort  was  made  to  upset 
them  they  were  merely  pulled  to  one  side  through 
the  yielding  fluid  in  which  they  floated.  Only  about 
a  dozen  were  successfully  upset.  The  men  in  these 
threw  down  their  arms  and  swam  to  the  shore.  The 
other  boats  succeeded  in  effecting  a  landing,  and 
their  crews  formed  for  a  march  upon  the  factories, 
while  the  boats  returned  to  the  ships.  But  before 
they  could  even  form  in  marching  order,  they  were 
thrown  into  confusion  by  an  attack  of  centipedes. 
The  arms  were  pulled  out  of  the  hands  of  the  sail- 

272 


The  Naval  Attack  on  Elba 

or s  just  as  they  had  been  pulled  out  of  those  of  the 
German  soldiers,  and,  being  so  damaged  by  the  press- 
ure of  the  iron  claw  as  to  render  them  useless,  were 
thrown  away.  In  this  way,  not  only  was  the  number 
of  effective  men  every  minute  diminished,  but  those 
who  kept  their  arms  were  so  busy  defending  them- 
selves that  they  became  oblivious  of  their  main  ob- 
ject. Their  officers  tried  to  rally  them,  and  actu- 
ally succeeded  in  getting  a  force  about  a  thousand 
strong,  half  English  and  half  German,  to  run  up 
towards  the  factories.  But  the  centipedes  captured 
the  officers  with  the  greatest  ease,  depositing  them 
upon  their  upper  decks,  and  leaving  the  men  with 
no  clear  idea  what  to  do.  At  the  end  of  an  hour 
what  was  left  of  the  naval  force  consisted  of  some 
6000  unarmed  men  scattered  along  the  shore  in  a 
dazed  and  demoralized  condition,  and  the  few  ships 
still  afloat,  having  on  board  of  them  the  remnants 
of  their  own  crews  and  of  those  of  the  sunken  vessels. 

What  was  now  feared  on  the  land  was  a  bombard- 
ment by  these  ships.  As  there  were  no  defen- 
sive works,  this  mode  of  attack  would  not  have 
been  in  accord  with  the  customs  of  war;  but  one 
could  not  feel  sure  what  desperate  measures  might 
not  be  taken  by  men  in  such  an  emergency.  It  was 
therefore  imperative  that  a  truce  should  be  agreed 
upon  or  that  the  remaining  ships  should  be  sunk  by 
the  only  mode  of  attack  available — the  torpedo.  No 
time  was  lost  in  preparing  for  either  course  of  action. 

A  daddie  bearing  a  flag  of  truce  carried  to  the  Brit- 
s  273 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

ish  flag-ship  a  letter  in  one  of  its  claws,  and  deposited 
it  on  the  quarter-deck.  It  was  picked  up  and  handed 
to  the  admiral,  who  wras  sufficiently  alive  to  the  situ- 
ation to  open  and  read  it.  It  contained  a  statement 
that  if  the  fleet  were  willing  to  surrender,  no  further 
attempt  would  be  made  to  sink  the  remaining  ships. 
The  alternative  was  made  evident  by  the  sight  of 
twenty  daddies  hanging  over  the  shore  awaiting 
the  order  to  attack.  The  admiral  had  to  consult 
with  his  German  coadjutor,  a  proceeding  which  took 
some  time. 

Before  reaching  a  conclusion  the  situation  was 
summed  up.  Of  the  combined  fleet  of  sixty  ships, 
perhaps  the  most  powerful,  if  not  the  most  numerous, 
that  had  ever  been  assembled,  only  a  half-dozen  re- 
mained. The  approaching  fate  of  the  latter  was 
read  in  the  metallic  visages  of  the  curious  beings 
hanging  over  the  shore,  each  with  a  cord  much  longer 
than  had  been  used  in  the  first  attack.  If  a  new  force 
were  landed,  nothing  could  save  it  from  the  centi- 
pedes which,  having  already  disarmed  the  force  on 
shore,  awaited  its  arrival.  Any  attempt  to  con- 
tinue the  attack  would  result  only  in  a  useless  de- 
struction of  life  and  property. 

The  flag  of  truce  returned  with  the  answer  of  the 
two  admirals.  They  agreed  to  surrender,  but  re- 
quested facilities  for  communicating  with  their  re- 
spective governments  as  to  the  disposal  of  the  ships' 
crews,  whether  on  board  or  on  the  shore.  An  inter- 
view was  requested  to  arrange  details. 

274 


The   Naval   Attack   on    Elba 

Campbell  replied,  acceding  to  the  interview,  and 
offering  every  facility  for  the  communication  desired. 
He  would  send  a  messenger  mote  to  Piombino,  the 
nearest  town  on  the  Italian  shore,  with  any  despatch- 
es which  the  admirals  wished  to  send.  If  no  further 
hostilities  were  intended,  it  would  be  easy  to  send 
the  sailors  to  Piombino  or  Fonnolica  on  the  remain- 
ing ships.  Time  would  be  given  to  transport  the 
sailors  from  the  shore  to  the  ships.  If  the  latter 
did  not  then  sail  away,  he  reserved  the  right  on  two 
hours'  notice  to  sink  them  if  he  could.  Next  morn- 
ing the  sailors  were  all  put  on  board  the  ships  by  cen- 
tipede motes,  and  orders  from  the  governments  were 
awaited.  After  much  telegraphing  the  powers  decided 
to  give  up  the  attack  for  the  time  being  and  recall 
their  fleets. 


XVII 
The  French  Attempt  on  the  Cynthia 

ON"  the  day  that  the  remnant  of  the  com- 
bined fleets  sailed  away  from  Elba  with 
their  human  freight  an  event  occurred 
which  filled  Campbell  with  deeper  emotion  than  any 
he  had  experienced  since  commencing  his  movement. 
We  have  already  alluded  to  the  fact  that,  through 
all  his  attacks  upon  the  German  armies,  he  had 
allowed  the  two  great  loomotes,  the  Hesperus 
and  the  Cynthia,  to  continue  their  regular  trips 
— the  Hesperus  between  New  York  and  London, 
the  Cynthia  between  New  York  and  Paris.  Few 
passengers  had,  however,  been  carried,  because  men 
were  naturally  timorous  in  undertaking  a  journey 
across  the  ocean  by  such  a  method  until  experience 
had  demonstrated  its  safety.  Moreover,  few  were 
disposed  to  choose  a  period  of  such  universal  turmoil 
to  make  a  journey.  Great  surprise  was  therefore 
felt  at  the  continued  running  of  these  motes,  be- 
cause it  seemed  to  be  placing  within  reach  of  the 
British  and  French  governments  a  means  of  attack 
and  defence  which  might  result  in  their  owner's  de- 

276 


The  French  Attempt  on  the  Cynthia 

feat.  If  they  chose  to  seize  these  vessels,  fill  them 
with  armed  men,  and  send  them  to  Elba,  what  was 
to  hinder  them  from  inflicting  a  crushing  defeat 
upon  their  owner  ?  It  was  supposed  that  the  latter 
disregarded  this  danger,  because  he  had  entire  con- 
fidence in  the  British  and  French  governments  carry- 
ing out  their  agreement  guaranteeing  the  motes  from 
seizure. 

To  understand  the  event  now  to  be  narrated, 
we  must  begin  by  a  brief  description  of  these  first 
loomotes,  of  which  the  construction  differed  in  some 
points  from  that  with  which  we  are  familiar.  The 
central  portion  being  cylindrical  in  form  and  sixty 
feet  in  diameter,  it  was  sixty  feet  from  the  bot- 
tom to  the  top  of  the  motes.  They  had  three  decks. 
The  lower  deck  was  twenty  feet  above  the  bottom  at 
its  lowest  point.  This  space  formed  the  main  hold. 
Owing  to  the  curvature  of  the  bottom,  the  height  of 
the  hold  diminished  continually  towards  each  side. 
The  rear  half  of  it  was  occupied  by  the  great  fur- 
naces which  were  necessary  to  keep  the  etherine  ther- 
malized,  and  which  burned  a  hundred  tons  of  coal  on 
each  trip.  The  remainder  of  the  space  was  taken  up 
with  the  mail-rooms  and  store-rooms  for  passengers' 
baggage. 

The  space  between  the  next  two  decks  was  entirely 
filled  by  the  state-rooms.  On  the  deck  above  them 
were  immense  dining-halls  and  sitting-rooms.  Above 
this  deck  the  great  arched  roof  formed  by  the  upper 
part  of  the  cylinder  rose  twenty-four  feet  at  its  cen- 

277 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

tre.  It  was  built  of  aluminium  arches,  the  narrow 
spaces  between  which,  only  about  one  foot  in  width, 
were  filled  with  thick,  strong  glass.  This  glass  vault 
was  in  the  daytime  almost  as  bright  as  the  sky  out- 
side, and,  being  airy,  was  the  general  place  of  resort 
for  the  passengers.  At  the  usual  running  height  of 
15,000  feet  above  the  ocean,  it  was  necessary  to  the 
comfort  of  the  passengers  that  the  air  pressure  around 
them  should  be  higher  than  it  was  outside.  This 
was  brought  about  by  having  the  prow  of  the  mote 
terminate  in  a  circular  opening  six  feet  in  diameter. 
The  rapid  motion  of  350  feet  a  second  would  have 
caused  a  violent  rush  of  air  through  this  opening 
had  there  been  one  equally  large  at  the  other  end  for 
its  escape.  At  the  stern,  however,  the  opening  was 
made  comparatively  small,  so  that  the  air  which  actu- 
ally entered  at  the  front  was  just  sufficient  to  give 
good  ventilation  and  feed  the  fires  below.  The  re- 
sult was  that  the  advancing  mote  exerted  a  pressure 
upon  the  air  in  the  front  opening,  the  reaction  of 
which  kept  the  barometer  inside  the  mote  some  four 
inches  higher  than  it  was  outside.  To  prevent  the 
force  thus  generated  from  bursting  the  roof,  the  lat- 
ter was  made  strong  enough  to  bear  the  pressure 
of  an  entire  atmosphere. 

As  we  have  said,  there  was  a  free  space  of  twenty- 
four  feet  between  the  deck  and  the  roof.  This  was 
partly  filled  by  a  promenade  deck  twelve  feet  in 
breadth,  extending  through  the  forward  two  hundred 
feet  of  the  mote,  about  eight  feet  above  the  main  deck. 

278 


The  French  Attempt  on  the  Cynthia 

A  strong  metallic  cylinder,  eight  feet  in  diameter, 
passed  vertically  through  all  the  decks,  as  well  as  the 
vault  above,  at  a  distance  of  fifty  feet  behind  the  prow. 
The  upper  part  of  this  cylinder  formed  the  pilot- 
house, which  projected  about  three  feet  above  the  top 
of  the  mote.  Here  were  stationed  the  captain  and 
pilots.  From  our  description  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  latter,  when  in  such  a  position  that  they  could 
look  around,  would  stand  with  their  feet  some  twelve 
feet  above  the  promenade  deck,  but,  being  enclosed 
within  the  metallic  cylinder  which  we  have  described, 
were  entirely  invisible. 

It  was  noticed  by  the  passengers  that  neither 
captain  nor  pilot  was  ever  seen.  Walking  to  the 
front  of  the  promenade  deck,  one  could  pass  round 
the  cylinder  below  the  pilot-house,  and  examine  it 
on  all  sides.  There  was  nothing  about  it  to  excite 
notice  except  what  looked  like  a  door  with  an  ordi- 
nary handle  to  open  it,  and  a  key-hole.  Although  it 
seemed  plain  enough  that  this  door  was  the  entrance 
to  the  pilot-house,  it  was  noticed  that  no  one  was 
ever  known  to  come  through  it.  This  was  attributed 
to  prudence,  which  required  that  the  conductors  of 
the  mote  should,  during  the  voyage,  not  be  allowed 
to  leave  their  posts  or  engage  in  conversation  with 
the  passengers. 

The  fact  was  that  this  supposed  door  was  a  sham. 
The  real  entrance  to  the  cylinder  was  a  secret  one, 
through  what  looked  like  a  room  devoted  to  rubbish 
in  the  hold  of  the  mote.  The  whole  interior  of  the 

279 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

cylinder  was  taken  up  with  elevating  machinery, 
and  with  the  rods  and  levers  which  passed  from  the 
pilot-house  downward  and  worked  the  elevating  arms 
by  which  the  etherine  was  made  more  or  less  buoy- 
ant, as  might  be  required,  or  impelled  in  the  direc- 
tion the  mote  was  to  take.  There  was  also  an  ele- 
vator by  which  the  conductors  and  pilots  could  be 
lifted  most  of  the  way  through  the  sixty  feet  the}7 
had  to  mount  to  reach  the  pilot-house.  The  secret 
door  at  the  bottom,  by  which  an  entrance  to  the  cylin- 
der was  gained,  closed  perfectly  air-tight.  About 
ten  feet  below  the  pilot-house  there  was  a  horizontal 
floor  or  diaphragm,  with  an  opening  for  passage  up 
or  down,  which  could  be  made  air-tight.  In  case 
of  an  emergency,  the  captain  and  pilots  could  pass 
below  this  diaphragm  and  close  the  opening  above 
them  so  as  to  be  enclosed  in  the  air-tight  part  of 
the  cylinder.  Here  they  would  find  a  duplicate  set 
of  apparatus  for  guiding  and  running  the  mote,  in- 
cluding compass  and  barometer.  On  the  inside 
of  this  part  of  the  cylinder  were  tanks  filled  with 
oxygen  at  high  pressure.  It  was  thus  possible  in 
an  emergency  for  a  mote  to  be  run  from  this  lower 
part  instead  of  from  the  pilot-house,  and  for  the  men 
to  remain  there  for  an  hour  or  more  without  suffo- 
cation. These  arrangements  were  known  only  to 
the  captains,  who  were  sworn  to  the  most  absolute 
secrecy.  What  other  instructions  they  received 
in  order  that  they  might  meet  an  emergency 
will  appear  subsequently. 

280 


The  French  Attempt  on  the   Cynthia 

The  pilots  reached  the  pilot-house  from  the  out- 
side by  a  ladder  passing  over  the  roof  of  the  mote  arid 
thence  to  the  ground.  The  object  of  this  singular 
proceeding,  when  to  all  appearance  there  was  a  door 
inside  for  them  to  ascend  bj,  no  one  suspected,  not 
even  themselves. 

In  addition  to  the  captain  and  pilots,  some  of 
whom  were  always  on  watch  in  the  pilot-house,  a 
watchman  was  kept  continually  on  the  roof  out- 
side the  pilot-house  while  the  mote  was  at  its  sta- 
tion either  in  Paris  or  London.  The  instructions 
to  these  watchmen  were  to  keep  a  constant  lookout 
for  any  attempt  by  a  possible  body  of  men,  who  were 
not  passengers,  to  enter  the  mote  in  a  threatening  way. 
In  case  of  such  an  attempt,  an  electric  alarm  was  to 
be  touched,  which  would  set  in  motion  two  rows  of 
gongs.  On  sounding  these  gongs  the  watchman  was 
instructed  to  jump  into  the  pilot-house  and  go  below 
with  the  captain  and  pilots.  There  was  no  secrecy 
about  this  danger  signal.  The  printed  instructions 
for  passengers  notified  them  that  in  case  of  any  ca- 
tastrophe being  threatened  while  the  mote  was  in 
port  a  danger  signal  was  to  be  sounded,  on  hearing 
which  all  the  passengers  were  to  leave  as  soon  as 
possible.  Similar  directions  were  given  to  all  the 
workmen  within,  who  were  to  abandon  their  work 
and  leave  whenever  the  great  gongs  were  sounded. 

At  noon,  on  June  15th,  the  Cynthia  gently  settled 
into  her  station  on  the  Champs  de  Mars,  as  usual. 
'No  one  noticed  that  on  the  last  two  voyages  several 

281 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

passengers  went  from  Paris  to  New  York  and  came 
back  on  the  return  trip.  Had  this  been  observed, 
suspicion  might  have  been  aroused  as  to  the  motives 
which  inspired  so  rapid  a  double  journey.  Equally 
unnoticed  was  the  curiosity  shown  by  these  passen- 
gers in  examining  every  part  of  the  mote  to  which 
they  were  allowed  access,  such  a  sentiment  being  al- 
most universal.  Nor  did  any  one  observe  the  pro- 
ceedings of  one  of  these  Frenchmen  who,  on  the  pre- 
ceding voyage,  had  occupied  himself  in  making  wax 
impressions  of  the  sham  key-hole  in  the  door  leading 
up  to  the  pilot-house.  This  false  door  was  in  front 
of  the  great  cylinder  we  have  described,  and,  being 
near  the  end  of  the  promenade  deck,  was  concealed 
from  the  great  body  of  passengers  thereon.  It  thus 
happened  that  the  little  space  in  front  of  it  was  fre- 
quently empty,  and  then  the  locksmith  could  carry 
on  his  work  without  being  seen. 

The  Cynthia,  as  we  have  said,  settled  quietly  into 
her  resting-place.  The  doors  were  opened  on  the 
side  for  the  exit  of  passengers,  those  on  the  other 
side,  intended  only  for  entrance,  being  kept  closed 
until  all  the  arriving  passengers  with  their  baggage 
had  left  the  mote.  During  the  two  hours  required 
for  the  landing  it  was  quite  common  for  departing 
passengers  to  wait  outside  the  entrance  gates  before 
they  were  opened  for  admission.  Thus  the  curiosity 
shown  by  certain  persons  who  were  peering  through 
the  iron  bars  excited  no  remark.  Everything  went 
on  as  usual  until  the  baggage  was  nearly  all  landed. 

282 


Thie  French  Attempt  on  the  Cynthia 

Then  something  happened  so  unexpected  that  the 
lookers-on  were  for  a  moment  quite  dazed. 

A  crowd  of  men  in  citizens'  clothes,  but  armed 
with  muskets,  bayonets,  sledge-hammers,  and  chisels, 
came  suddenly  running  to  the  exit  gate  of  the  en- 
closure. They  knocked  down  the  two  watchmen 
on  guard  and  rushed  through  the  crowd  of  panic- 
stricken  passengers  to  the  mote.  The  guards  could 
offer  no  resistance,  and  had  no  time  to  close  the  great 
aluminium  doors.  The  watchman  on  top  was  so 
taken  by  surprise  that  the  head  of  the  column  had 
nearly  reached  the  mote  before  he  sounded  the  gong. 
The  porters  and  firemen  within  had  not  time,  after 
hearing  the  alarm,  to  get  out  before  their  exit  was 
barred  by  the  inrush  of  men ;  so  they  ran  to  the  en- 
trance side,  hastily  opened  a  door,  and  jumped  to 
the  ground. 

As  soon  as  the  watchman  had  sounded  the  alarm, 
he  jumped  into  the  pilot-house,  while  the  captain  and 
pilots  ran  below  into  the  air-tight  space  we  have  de- 
scribed, the  watchman  following.  The  captain  was 
for  a  moment  in  doubt  what  to  do.  His  orders  in 
such  an  emergency  were  to  fly  as  high  as  possible 
immediately  and  bring  the  mote  to  Uraniburg.  He 
ventured  to  hesitate  so  far  as  to  run  up  to  the  pilot- 
house himself,  in  order  to  be  sure  of  the  necessity 
of  this  heroic  measure. 

There  could  no  longer  be  any  doubt.  The  armed 
men  were  rushing  through  the  open  doors  in  two 
columns.  He  turned  the  lever  which  caused  the 

283 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

mote  to  rise,  and  again  jumped  into  the  compartment 
below  and  closed  the  air-tight  trap-door  over  the 
heads  of  himself  and  the  other  two  occupants.  Now, 
as  we  have  said,  the  mote  could  be  navigated  for  a 
considerable  distance  without  seeing  outside  the 
cylinder.  An  electric  light  permitted  the  reading 
of  the  barometer,  which  showed  the  air  pressure 
both  without  and  within,  as  well  as  the  compass. 
There  was  no  difficulty  in  going  on  a  voyage  so  long 
as  life  and  activity  could  be  maintained  by  the 
stream  of  oxygen  which  could  be  turned  on  from  the 
holders  below. 

About  fifty  of  the  assailants  had  succeeded  in  get- 
ting into  the  mote,  when  she  slowly  began  to  rise.  The 
last  dozen  who  had  entered,  alarmed  at  this,  retraced 
their  steps  and  jumped  out.  The  remainder  were 
obliged  to  stay  whether  they  wished  to  or  not.  They 
lost  no  time  in  trying  to  gain  possession.  The  leader, 
followed  by  his  men,  climbed  as  fast  as  possible,  with 
the  cry  "  En  avant!"  to  the  upper  deck,  mounted  the 
narrow  promenade,  and  then  ran  forward  to  the 
base  of  the  pilot-house.  Taking  out  a  key  which  had 
been  carefully  filed  to  fit  the  sham  lock  of  the  door, 
he  inserted  it.  To  his  surprise,  it  turned  round  loose- 
ly without  unlocking  anything  or  producing  any  ef- 
fect. He  vainly  tried  to  make  it  catch  hold  of  a 
bolt. 

By  the  time  he  had  satisfied  himself  that  he 
could  not  unbolt  the  door,  a  roar  was  heard,  both 
above  and  below.  Below,  it  was  the  rush  of  the  air 

284 


The  French  Attempt  on  the  Cynthia 

out  of  the  mote  through  the  open  doors  as  that  out- 
side grew  rarer  with  the  ascent.  Above,  it  was  the 
low  roar  always  produced  by  the  rapid  motion  of 
the  mote  upwards  and  onwards. 

"  Try  your  bayonets,"  said  the  leader,  when  he 
saw  that  the  door  could  not  be  unlocked. 

The  bayonets  were  inserted  in  the  false  crack  be- 
tween the  door  and  the  cylinder,  with  a  view  to  pry- 
ing it  open,  while  the  leader  took  a  small  dynamite 
torpedo  from  his  pocket  and  put  it  into  the  key- 
hole to  blow  the  lock  to  pieces.  Of  course  both  at- 
tempts were  vain.  The  bayonets  simply  bent  in 
the  crack,  and  the  torpedo  did  no  damage  except  to 
blow  off  some  of  the  metal  round  the  lock. 

Then  they  began  to  beat  the  supposed  door  with  the 
sledge-hammers  and  the  butts  of  their  muskets,  crying 
to  those  inside  to  open.  And  every  moment  they  felt, 
themselves  flying  higher  and  the  air  getting  rarer. 

Finding  that  the  door  resisted  every  attack,  yet 
more  violent  measures  were  attempted.  There  was 
a  narrow,  horizontal  opening  in  the  cylinder  just 
below  the  roof  of  the  mote.  This  was  closed  by 
glass,  forming  a  sort  of  window  through  which  an 
indistinct  view  of  the  now  empty  interior  of  the 
pilot-house  could  be  obtained. 

"  Fire  through  the  window!" 

The  volley  of  musketry,  fired  at  a  venture  with 
the  view  of  alarming  the  supposed  inmates,  produced 
no  effect  except  to  destroy  the  window.  All  within 
was  as  silent  as  the  grave.  Every  minute  the  roar 

285 


His  Wisdom   the    Defender 

of  the  air  increased  and  the  situation  grew  more 
desperate. 

"  Mount  and  climb  into  the  window !" 

Some  of  the  most  agile  of  the  men  undertook  to 
obey  the  order  by  climbing  up  to  the  roof  of  the 
guards  round  the  promenade,  in  order  to  enter  the 
pilot-house  through  the  broken  glass.  One  man- 
aged to  get  his  head  through  the  window  and  was 
dumfounded  to  find  the  place  quite  empty.  He 
had  to  drop  immediately,  as  he  found  himself  with- 
out breath  for  such  exertion. 

The  programme  of  the  attacking  party  had  been 
very  simple.  By  guile  or  force,  with  key,  chisels, 
or  hammers,  as  might  be  required,  they  were  first 
of  all  to  get  possession  of  the  pilot-house,  while  the 
mote  lay  in  her  bed,  and  shoot  the  inmates  if  they 
offered  any  resistance.  If  they  did  not  resist  they  were 
to  be  compelled  to  show  the  victors  how  the  mote  was 
navigated.  This,  however,  was  not  important,  because, 
once  in  possession  of  the  wheels  and  levers  of  the 
navigating  power,  it  would  only  take  a  few  hours  to 
find  out  how  they  were  worked.  The  idea  that  the  mote 
might  run  away  with  them  before  they  could  get  ' 
possession  had  scarcely  entered  their  minds.  When 
they  found  it  doing  so,  they  were  at  first  so  intent 
upon  executing  their  plan  that  they  failed  to  think 
of  anything  else. 

Now,  frustrated  in  the  attempt  to  enter  the  pilot- 
house, they  had  time  to  think,  and  soon  realized  the 
terrible  situation.  The  mote  was  carrying  them 

286 


The  French  Attempt  on  the  Cynthia 

higher  and  higher,  and  the  continued  rarefaction  of 
the  air  would  soon  cause  suffocation.  Only  one 
resource  was  within  reach. 

"  Run  below  and  close  the  doors  of  the  mote !" 
As  the  men  who  tried  to  do  so  approached  the  first 
door,  the  outrush  blew  the  three  foremost  of  them  out 
like  feathers.  Those  behind  them  on  each  side  were 
obliged  to  grasp  the  rails  of  the  stairway  in  order  to 
avoid  meeting  the  same  fate,  and  made  their  way 
back  against  the  air-storm  with  the  greatest  difficulty. 
Arriving  again  at  the  upper  deck,  exhausted  and  out 
of  breath,  they  could  only  report  the  fate  of  their 
fellows  and  their  inability  to  do  anything. 

Every  minute  the  air  grew  rarer.  Every  minute 
exertion  became  more  difficult.  A  dozen  hammers 
and  as  many  muskets  beat  loudly  upon  the  outside 
of  the  pilot-house,  but  no  sound  came  back.  "  Open ! 
open !  for  God's  sake,  open !  We  are  your  prisoners ! 
We  surrender!" 

But  there  was  no  response.  Were  those  within 
dead,  or  had  they  escaped  by  some  secret  passage? 
Minute  snowflakes  began  to  form  in  the  air;  the 
fingers  of  the  men  were  soon  chilled  with  the  cold 
of  a  winter  day. 

"  We  must  get  into  the  pilot-house !  Try  again  I" 
A  desperate  attempt  was  made  to  carry  out  this 
order  by  the  men  climbing  on  each  other.  A  dozen 
of  them  got  on  their  knees  and  let  a  half-dozen  mount 
on  their  shoulders,  while  several  more  climbed  up 
by  the  guards  as  before.  The  first  set  stood  up,  lift- 

287 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

ing  the  second  with  them,  while  the  third  stepped 
on  the  shoulders  of  the  latter.  But  they  no  sooner 
had  got  so  far  than  the  whole  body  fell  to  the  deck 
with  weakness  and  suffocation. 

"  Load  and  fire  once  more !" 

The  muskets  were  reloaded,  and  again  a  volley  was 
fired  into  the  pilot-house  and  against  the  cylinder, 
with  no  better  effect  than  before.  Cries  of  entreaty 
and  despair  that  were  intended  to  be  loud  and  pierc- 
ing were  sent  forth  by  the  doomed  men,  calling  upon 
those  within  for  mercy.  But  the  loudest  were  now 
as  faint  as  the  wail  of  an  infant  a  hundred  feet  away, 
and  fell  like  whispers  against  the  deaf,  metallic 
wall. 

Blood  began  to  pour  from  their  noses  and  run  upon 
the  snow-covered  deck.  Looking  round  once  more  in 
their  despair  for  an  avenue  of  escape  or  a  source 
of  help,  each  saw  in  the  livid  faces  of  his  companions 
the  reflection  of  his  own.  A  last  desperate  cry  was 
attempted,  but  it  was  only  a  gasp ;  the  tongue  could 
no  longer  make  an  articulate  sound.  It  protruded 
from  each  mouth  and  could  not  be  drawn  back  into 
place.  They  felt  the  air  within  their  breasts  press- 
ing to  bur-3t  them,  as  if  some  demoniac  power  was 
pumping  it  into  them.  Their  bodies  swelled.  The 
increasing  stream  of  blood  from  their  noses  was  fol- 
lowed by  one  from  each  of  their  blinded  eyes ;  their 
livid  faces  grew  cold ;  one  after  another  the  unhappy 
men  fell  into  the  pool  of  their  own  blood,  which  was 
now  running  from  the  promenade  to  the  deck  below. 

288 


The  French  Attempt  on  the  Cynthia 

v 

The  world  faded  from  their  eyes,  and  they  all  became 
unconscious  in  the  embrace  of  death. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  report  of  the  attempted  seiz- 
ure of  the  mote,  and  its  unexpected  escape,  had 
spread  through  Paris.  An  hour  later  the  mangled 
remains  of  three  men,  apparently  fallen  from  the 
sky,  were  found  in  the  park  at  Vincennes.  All  Paris 
was  impressed  with  the  feeling  that  some  mysterious 
calamity  had  happened,  and  anxiously  awaited  fur- 
ther intelligence.  But  none  was.  forthcoming.  The 
authorities  professed  ignorance  of  the  affair,  and  for 
some  time  it  was  not  even  known  to  the  public  who 
or  what  the  attacking  party  was. 

About  five  o'clock  sentinels  at  Uraniburg,  always 
on  the  lookout,  were  surprised  to  see  a  great  loomote 
approaching  from  the  west.  A  telescope  was  levelled 
upon  her,  and  a  few  minutes  sufficed  to  ascertain 
that  she  was  the  Cynthia.  What  could  have  hap- 
pened ?  Campbell's  first  impression  was  that  she  had 
been  captured  by  the  enemy  and  was  sent  out,  per- 
haps filled  with  armed  men  and  explosives,  to  attack 
his  headquarters.  His  small  available  force  was  call- 
ed together  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  await  events  and 
make  the  best  defence  possible.  But  the  accuracy 
of  her  movements  soon  relieved  his  mind.  She  must 
at  least  be  directed  by  his  own  captain  and  pilots,  for 
it  would  be  impossible  for  any  other  set  of  men  to 
manage  her  as  she  was  being  managed  without  weeks 
of  instruction  and  patience.  True,  his  own  men  might 
T  289 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

have  been  forced  to  conduct  her  under  threat  of  their 
lives.  But  even  in  this  case  they  would  still,  to  a  cer- 
tain extent,  have  the  captors  at  their  mercy.  It  was 
impossible  that  she  should  make  any  successful  at- 
tack unless  her  conductors  managed  her  accordingly. 
The  fears  of  all  were  allayed  as  she  approached  nearer 
and  slowly  and  skilfully  was  brought  to  the  ground. 

The  first  one  to  emerge  was  the  wa'tchman,  who 
gave  a  hurried  account  of  what  had  happened.  True 
to  discipline,  the  captain  and  pilot  remained  at  their 
posts.  Campbell  and  a  dozen  of  his  followers  ran  in 
and  mounted  the  stairways.  As  they  reached  the 
upper  main  deck,  pools  of  blood  met  their  eyes. 
Mounting  the  promenade,  an  appalling  sight  was  dis- 
closed. The  bodies  of  thirty-five  men  were  heaped 
in  a  pool  of  gore  round  the  base  of  the  pilot-house. 
The  captain  and  pilot  looked  out  from  the  window 
below. 

"  What  has  happened  to  these  men  ?  For  God's 
sake,  how  were  they  so  mangled  ?" 

"  They  were  not  mangled  at  all,  sir,  so  far  as  we 
know.  The  mote  was  attacked,  and  we  simply  obey- 
ed your  orders.  We  mounted  .upward  until  the  press- 
ure on  the  outside  was  reduced  to  five  inches,  and 
the  air  within,  notwithstanding  the  supply  of  oxy- 
gen, grew  so  close  that  we  could  scarcely  breathe  it. 
Then,  taking  our  course  towards  this  point,  we  de- 
scended as  rapidly  as  possible.  By  the  time  the  air 
barometer  outside  rose  to  twenty  inches,  we  were 
ourselves  nearly  suffocated,  and  were  obliged  to  open 

290 


The  French  Attempt  on  the  Cynthia 

the  trap.  While  the  mote  was  rising  we  heard  a 
great  pounding  against  the  side  of  the  pilot-house. 
Of  course  we  took  no  notice  of  this.  It  ceased  about 
the  time  we  reached  the  highest  level.  When  we 
were  able  to  look  out  we  could  see  what  had  happened, 
but  we  were  powerless  to  do  any  good,  so  we  continued 
our  journey  here,  according  to  orders." 

Campbell  was  almost  overcome  by  the  catastro- 
phe. With  all  his  philosophy,  with  all  the  con- 
sciousness that  a  million  of  lives  were  as  nothing 
compared  with  the  human  interests  intrusted*  to 
him,  he  could  not  view  such  a  horror  without  feeling 
as  if  he  were  himself  a  murderer.  What  bore  most 
heavily  upon  him  was  the  consciousness  that  the 
tragic  result  was  one  that  he  had  himself  planned. 
He  had  arranged  to  defend  the  motes  from  capture 
by  having  them,  in  case  of  attack,  fly  many  miles 
above  the  earth,  carrying  their  captors  with  them,  if 
they  remained  on  board.  Intellectually  speaking,  he 
knew  that  this  course  would  lead  to  their  speedy 
destruction.  And  yet  he  had  never  pictured  to  him- 
self the  possibilities  of  his  plan  being  carried  out 
with  such  terrible  success.  He  could  not  help  try- 
ing to  think,  now  that  it  was  too  late,  how  the  safety 
of  the  mote  might  have  been  secured  by  some,  pro- 
ceeding less  destructive  to  life.  Every  such  thought 
only  added  to  his  depression.  He  tried  in  vain 
to  sleep  that  night.  Whenever  he  closed  his  eyes  there 
floated  before  his  vision  the  livid  faces  of  ghastly 
cadavers,  each  lying  in  a  pool  of  its  own  blood. 

291 


His   Wisdom   the   Defender 

It  is  said  by  the  most  advanced  students  of  evolu- 
tion that  our  nightly  visions  are  inspired  by  the 
thoughts  and  sentiments  of  savage  or  brute  ancestors, 
which  take  advantage  of  the  relaxation  of  sleep  to 
assert  themselves  in  us.  But  in  the  present  case  it 
was  the  conscience  of  the  civilized  man  rather  than 
that  of  the  brute  which  dominated. 

Next  morning  his  incessant  attention  was  de- 
manded by  the  events  which  he  was  to  guide.  It  was 
absolutely  necessary  to  cast  off  the  thought  of  what 
he  had  seen  and  to  devote  himself  wholly  to  the  work 
in  hand.  The  contest  he  was  waging  against  the 
world  was  not  alone  a  physical  one.  Had  such  been 
the  case  there  would  have  been  little  doubt  of  his  abil- 
ity to  carry  it  through,  especially  if  he  cast  aside  his 
scruples  against  taking  human  life.  What  made  it 
trying  was  its  being  waged  against  the  feelings  and 
opinions  of  the  race.  The  soldier  goes  to  his  death 
because  he  is  inspired  by  the  feeling  that  his  country- 
men are  looking  upon  him  and  approving  his  acts. 
Ability  to  defy  the  good  opinion  of  mankind  is  the 
principal  mark  of  a  criminal.  To  one  of  sensibili- 
ties so  highly  educated  the  contest  would  have  been 
an  unequal  one  had  he  not  felt  that  he  was  backed 
against  the  humanity  of  the  present  by  the  humanity 
of  the  near  future.  Under  these  circumstances,  a 
visitor  who  could  entertain  the  slightest  personal  sym- 
pathy with  him  was  doubly  welcome,  even  had  he 
come  to  be  his  executioner.  Such  a  visitor  he  was 
soon  to  receive. 


XVIII 
Austria  Threatens  Checkmate 

WE  left  Gheen  demolishing  the  barracks 
around  Berlin,  carrying  off  generals,  and 
disarming  all  the  soldiers  he  could  find. 
From  Feltow  he  went  to  the  barracks  at  Zehlendorf 
and  demolished  them  in  like  manner.  But  the  third 
barracks  which  he  attacked  were  nearly  empty — only 
a  corporal's  guard  was  in  them.  From  the  men  he 
learned  that  all  the  soldiers  who  were  left  around 
Berlin  had  taken  refuge  in  the  casemates  of  the 
fortifications.  It  was  evident  that  the  task  of  reach- 
ing them  in  such  a  retreat  would  be  one  of  great  diffi- 
culty and  possible  danger.  He  was  amply  equipped 
for  tearing  down  the  strongest  buildings  and  captur- 
ing any  armed  force  in  the  field.  But  the  masses 
of  earth,  stone,  and  iron  by  which  the  capital  was 
defended  were  practically  unattackable  by  his  ma- 
chinery. The  steel  doors  of  the  casemates  would 
resist,  he  knew  not  how  long,  all  the  force  he  could 
bring  against  them.  There  was  no  doubt  that  by 
taking  time  enough,  and  perhaps  bringing  new  modes 
of  attack  to  bear,  he  could  ultimately  succeed  even 

293 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

against  this  strong  defence.  But  to  do  this  would 
take  much  time,  involving  something  like  a  regular 
siege.  Such  an  undertaking  might  well  be  post- 
poned in  view  of  the  fact  that  an  army  driven 
into  its  defences  like  a  flock  of  sheep  would 
be  too  much  demoralized  to  become  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  affairs  of  the  world.  The  last 
instructions  he  had  received  before  leaving  were  not 
to  spend  time  on  the  German  armies  if  they  succeed- 
ed in  making  an  effective  resistance;  but,  in  this 
case,  to  carry  out  the  rest  of  the  programme  and 
then  disband  the  armies  of  Russia  and  Austria,  leav- 
ing those  of  Germany  to  be  disposed  of  in  the  future. 
All  the  details  had  been  left  in  his  hands,  and,  un- 
less he  received  orders  to  the  contrary  from  his  chief, 
he  was  to  go  on  doing  all  the  harm  he  could  to  the 
military  power  of  the  leading  nations,  regardless  of 
consequences. 

He  spent  the  next  three  days  in  a  general  sweep 
over  all  the  military  posts  of  northern  Germany,  cut- 
ting the  telegraph  wires  so  that  the  local  authorities 
could  receive  no  immediate  instructions  from  Ber- 
lin. All  the  soldiers  that  could  be  found  were 
sought  out,  disarmed,  and  sent  home  in  the  same  way 
as  before.  To  guard  against  any  attempt  at  collect- 
ing the  scattered  fragments  into  a  new  force,  all  the 
field  officers  that  could  be  captured  were  sent  in  a 
body  to  the  island  of  Riigen,  in  the  Baltic.  The  rail- 
way connecting  this  island  with  the  mainland  was 
destroyed. 

294 


Austria  Threatens  Checkmate 

When  this  was  done,  the  Germans  were  yet  more 
surprised  by  a  sudden  attack  upon  the  arsenals  and 
manufactories  of  arms  in  the  empire.  Both  the 
centipedes  and  daddies  were  effectively  used  for  this 
purpose.  The  former,  with  their  powerful  claws,  tore 
off  the  roofs  from  the  buildings,  while  the  daddies 
helped  to  demolish  the  walls.  The  machinery  for 
the  manufacture  of  arms  was  torn  to  pieces,  and  all 
the  plans,  models,  moulds,  and  drawings  that  could 
be  found  by  the  most  careful  search  were  broken  or 
torn  up  and  heaped  into  a  pile.  Sulphuric  acid  was 
poured  over  the  mass  as  it  had  been  on  the  arms 
taken  from  the  soldiers,  in  order  that  it  might  not 
be  possible,  in  the  near  future,  even  to  fit  up  a  new 
factory.  All  the  arms  that  were  stored  in  the  arse- 
nals were  treated  in  the  same  way. 

The  outcome  of  the  week's  work  may  be  briefly 
stated:  The  German  military  power  was  practically 
annihilated,  except  for  the  remnants  of  the  army 
hidden  in  casemates  and  the  garrisons  of  the  posts 
on  the  French  frontier.  Not  only  had  Germany  no 
army  for  active  operations,  but,  in  order  to  organize 
one,  work  would  have  to  be  begun  at  the  bottom. 
There  would  have  been  no  arms  for  the  infantry, 
no  guns  for  the  artillery,  and  no  machinery  to  make 
either  arms  or  guns.  The  whole  empire  was  for 
the  moment  helpless  against  any  attack  from  its 
neighbors,  unless  it  should  receive  aid  from  the  same 
power  which  had  destroyed  its  means  of  defence. 

The  smallness  of  the  loss  suffered  by  the  attacking 
295 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

force  can  be  accounted  for  only  by  reflecting  that 
two  men,  one  of  them  a  military  expert,  had  spent  two 
years  in  elaborating  the  most  careful  preparations 
for  the  work,  and  this  without  their  intention  hav- 
ing ever  been  suspected  until  they  were  nearly  ready 
to  act.  The  only  mishap  had  been  that  arising  from 
the  attention  of  the  world  having  been  temporarily 
called  to  the  possibilities  of  the  case  by  the  corre- 
spondent of  the  New  York  Herald.  Fortunately 
the  preparations  were  so  well  advanced  that  this 
did  little  harm  beyond  necessitating  more  prompt 
and  decisive  action. 

The  result  of  all  this  foresight  was  that  out  of  the 
three  hundred  and  fifty  motes  which  made  up  the  at- 
tacking fleet,  only  one  had  been  totally  destroyed, 
none  had  been  captured  until  after  they  had  been 
made  useless,  and  only  a  dozen  had  suffered  damage 
which  could  not  be  speedily  repaired.  Only  three 
men  had  lost  their  lives — one  through  treachery  to 
his  own  cause,  and  the  others  through  what  was  al- 
most equivalent  to  an  inadvertence.  About  twenty 
had  been  disabled  by  injuries  more  or  less  serious. 
For  all  practical  purposes  the  attacking  force  was 
therefore  as  effective  as  ever.  The  coal  and  petroleum 
necessary  for  running  the  motes,  and  the  provisions 
and  other  supplies  necessary  for  the  commissariat, 
could  be  seized  wherever  they  were  to  be  found. 
No  defence  of  person  or  property  against  an  army 
flying  through  the  air  where  it  chose,  and  pouncing 
down  on  any  place  at  any  moment,  was  possible. 

296 


Austria  Threatens  Checkmate 

There  was  nothing  to  prevent  the  military  forces 
of  other  nations  being  dealt  with  in  the  same  manner 
as  those  of  Germany,  unless  some  new  mode  of  de- 
fence should  be  devised.  Gheen  felt  it  necessary  to 
forestall  this  possibility  by  disorganizing,  without 
loss  of  time,  the  other  great  armies.  For  this  pur- 
pose it  was  essential  that  as  little  as  possible  should 
be  known  of  the  policy  by  which  the  Germans 
had  temporarily  evaded  the  attacking  force.  So 
the  telegraph  wires  were  everywhere  ruthlessly  cut, 
and  every  railway  train  that  attempted  to  run  any- 
where in  eastern  Germany  was  pulled  off  the  track. 
The  tracks  themselves  were  torn  up  and  many 
bridges  destroyed.  The  result  was  that  the  mili- 
tary authorities  at  St.  Petersburg  and  Vienna  had, 
for  the  moment,  no  detailed  information  as  to  events 
in  Berlin.  They  knew  of  the  capture  of  the  Em- 
peror, and  had  heard  rumors  of  the  German  troops 
being  obliged  to  take  shelter  wherever  they  could  find 
it,  but  they  had  not  received  any  authentic  announce- 
ment of  the  date  at  which  their  own  armies  might  be 
attacked,  and,  indeed,  did  not  know  that  they  were 
to  be  molested  at  all. 

On  June  29th,  Gheen,  with  his  whole  force,  ar- 
rived at  St.  Petersburg  and  proceeded  to  search  out 
and  disband  the  Russian  armies  in  the  same  way 
that  they  had  the  German.  The  Russian  soldiers, 
owing  to  their  inferior  intelligence,  were  even  less 
able  to  offer  effective  resistance  than  their  neighbors 
had  been.  The  Czar,  like  his  friend  the  Emperor, 

297 


His  Wisdom  the   Defender 

had  attempted  to  take  command  of  his  forces.  Find- 
ing resistance  in  vain,  he  adopted  the  course  of  one 
of  his  ancestors  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  com- 
mitted suicide,  though  not  in  the  same  way.  He 
swallowed  prussic  acid.  On  July  1st  the  force  pro- 
ceeded from  St.  Petersburg  to  Warsaw  without  wait- 
ing for  the  complete  disarmament  of  the  armies 
around  St.  Petersburg. 

The  main  feature  of  our  hero's  policy,  from  the 
beginning,  had  been  to  demonstrate  his  power  by 
every  means  that  did  not  involve  injury  to  the 
beneficent  institutions  of  civilization.  As  we  have 
already  seen,  he  well  knew  that  the  old  regime  would 
yield  to  nothing  but  force.  Physical  force  alone 
might,  in  the  end,  have  conquered.  But  in  a  project 
which  must,  in  a  not  distant  future,  involve  serious 
changes  in  political  institutions,  he  felt  it  essential 
that,  if  possible,  he  should  also  show  that  he  possess- 
ed political  power.  There  was  one  region  of  Europe 
in  which  such  a  power  could  be  exerted  in  entire 
conformity  to  the  political  principles  which  he  in- 
tended should  control  the  relations  of  nations  under 
his  new  regime.  This  region  was  that  which  had 
formerly  been  occupied  by  the  kingdom  of  Poland. 

The  history  of  the  re-establishment  of  this  kingdom 
under  the  personal  guidance  of  the  Defender  is  too 
well  known  to  find  a  place  here.  So  we  shall  fol- 
low the  operations  of  his  army. 

The  entire  force  under  Gheen's  command,  com- 
ing from  Warsaw,  passed  one  night  in  a  field 

298 


Austria  Threatens  Checkmate 

near  Ernstbrunn,  a  village  about  twenty  miles 
north  of  Vienna,  as  far  from  railway  and  tele- 
graph as  it  was  convenient  to  get.  Next  morning 
the  aerial  army  gathered  over  Vienna  and  made  the 
circuit  of  the  fortifications  in  search  of  the  Austrian 
troops.  It  was  quite  an  agreeable  surprise  to  see 
more  than  fifty  thousand  soldiers  stationed  in  front 
of  a  long  line  of  works  waiting  to  receive  the  attack. 
The  space  occupied  by  this  army  extended  a  mile 
along  the  line,  and  was  from  a  quarter  to  half  a  mile 
in  depth.  The  tops  of  the  fortifications  were  armed 
with  an  extraordinary  number  of  field  batteries,  evi- 
dently stationed  there  for  the  occasion.  In  addition 
to  this,  a  number  of  rapid-fire  guns  had  been  taken 
from  naval  vessels  and  were  also  mounted  on  the 
fortifications,  ready  for  such  use  as  might  be  re- 
quired. 

Heretofore,  Gheen  had  attacked  the  troops  with 
confidence  under  the  line  of  fire  of  batteries,  because 
it  was  impossible  for  the  artillery  to  open  fire  upon 
him  without  destruction  to  its  own  men.  But  these 
preparations  made  it  look  as  if,  in  the  present  case, 
the  Austrians  were  ready  to  sacrifice  their  own  troops 
for  the  purpose  of  destroying  his  forces  once  and  for 
all.  In  order  to  disarm  the  troops,  the  centipedes 
must  come  down  among  them,  and  then,  if  the  artil- 
lery chose,  it  could  fire  upon  them  with  destructive 
effect  to  both  sides.  A  few  thousand  Austrians 
might  be  killed,  but  his  own  force  would  be  perma- 
nently disabled. 


His  Wisdom  the   Defender 

Gheen  and  his  adjutant,  also  a  West  Point  man, 
who  kept  at  his  elbow,  surveyed  the  scene. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  they  are  after  ?"  said  the 
chief. 

"  I  think  if  we  attack  as  we  did  at  Potsdam  the 
rapid-fire  guns  will  open  upon  us,  regardless  of  their 
own  men." 

"  That  would  be  so  contrary  to  every  sentiment 
and  tradition  of  civilized  warfare,  I  can  hardly  be- 
lieve it  possible." 

"  But,"  replied  the  adjutant,  "  the  men  stand  as 
if  they  expected  death.  See  how  they  have  been 
drilled.  Every  battalion  and  every  company  keeps 
its  place,  and  the  soldiers  stand  at  attention,  their 
rifles  on  the  ground,  without  the  slightest  movement. 
They  really  seem  to  await  their  doom  from  their  own 
artillery,  in  order  to  bring  about  our  destruction." 

"  Any  way,"  said  Gheen,  "  the  rapid-fire  guns  can 
be  aimed  at  our  motes  while  they  are  descending,  and 
several  shots  might  be  fired  from  each  before  the 
motes  could  get  among  the  soldiers  on  the  ground." 

The  conclusion  was  that  it  would  not  be  prudent  to 
sweep  down  like  a  hawk  upon  its  prey,  as  had  been 
done  with  the  Germans  and  Russians,  and  a  recon- 
naissance was  decided  upon.  A  line  of  six  plain 
motes,  each  manned  only  by  the  three  men  necessary 
to  manage  it,  was  ordered  to  form  and  approach  the 
ground,  not  among  the  soldiers,  but  at  a  distance  of 
half  a  mile  on  the  right  flank,  at  a  point  where  the 
rapid-fire  guns  could  not  play  upon  them.  Then  they 

300 


Austria  Threatens  Checkmate 

were  to  make  a  dash  for  the  armed  troops,  keeping 
as  near  the  ground  as  possible,  flying  directly  through 
the  lines  at  a  rapid  rate,  and  then  rising  and  return- 
ing on  the  other  side.  If  the  artillery  seriously  in- 
tended to  destroy  the  attacking  party,  at  all  hazards, 
regardless  of  their  own  men,  they  might  try  to  fire 
upon  these  swiftly  flying  motes,  but  would  not  be 
likely  to  hit  any  of  them.  If  fired  upon,  the  motes 
were  to  suddenly  change  their  course  and  return 
without  passing  through  the  lines. 

Gheen  from  his  eyrie  watched  the  six  motes  dash 
in  single  file  through  the  Austrian  ranks.  Not  a  sol- 
dier budged,  not  a  weapon  was  moved  in  self-defence. 
Such  stolid  immobility  seemed  superhuman.  Sudden- 
ly a  deadly  fire  was  opened  upon  the  advancing  motes 
from  hundreds  of  guns,  the  Austrians  mowing  down 
their  own  men  without  mercy.  The  state  of  the  case 
was  seen  by  the  captains  of  the  motes  and  grasped 
by  Gheen  almost  at  the  same  moment.  The  sup- 
posed army  which  held  out  so  inviting  a  temptation 
to  come  and  disarm  it  was  made  up  of  dummies — 
men  literally  of  straw — in  the  uniforms  of  soldiers, 
with  their  arms  resting  on  the  ground.  It  was  fort- 
unate, indeed,  that  the  whole  force  had  not,  in  its 
enthusiasm,  flown  to  the  attack.  Two  of  the  motes 
were  disabled,  the  others  effected  their  escape.  The 
former  succeeded  in  rising  a  short  distance  and  then 
fell  to  the  ground.  The  men  on  board  of  them 
jumped  out  and  made  signs  of  surrender. 

The  Austrians  were  too  anxious  to  secure  posses- 
301 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 

sion  of  the  curious  vessels  to  destroy  them  by  a  con- 
tinued fire.  The  real  troops  ran  out,  took  the  six 
men  prisoners,  and  eagerly  climbed  upon  the  motes. 
The  latter  were  of  course  immovable,  and  would  be 
of  little  real  use  to  their  captors  except  as  objects 
of  curiosity.  The  only  hopeful  result  in  getting 
possession  of  them  would  be  the  discovery  of  the  se- 
cret by  which  they  were  managed.  As  each  weighed 
many  tons,  it  would  be  impossible  to  remove  them 
without  machinery  and  appliances  which  it  would 
require  several  days  to  get  into  operation.  But  the 
great  cylinders  running  through  nearly  their  whole 
length,  and  containing  the  etherine  which  gave  them 
buoyancy,  had  been  pierced  by  the  shot.  The  ether- 
ine itself  was  escaping  and  running  like  an  oily  fluid 
into  the  bottom  of  the  mote.  As  much  as  possible 
of  it  was  collected  and  carried  off  for  scientific  ex- 
amination and  chemical  analysis. 

Leaving  the  fortifications,  Gheen  proceeded  to  at- 
tack the  barracks  round  the  city  in  which  the  troops 
were  supposed  to  be  quartered ;  but  none  were  found 
except  a  few  soldiers  necessary  to  guard  them.  The 
Austrian  authorities  had  followed  the.  German  ex- 
ample of  hiding  their  troops  in  the  casemates  of  the 
fortifications  or  quartering  them  in  houses  through- 
out the  city.  There  would  be  no  difficulty  in  effect- 
ing their  capture  by  a  thorough  search  of  the  city 
and  by  blowing  up  the  casemates,  one  after  another, 
with  dynamite.  But  to  reduce  every  fortified  city 
in  Germany  and  Austria  in  this  way  would  be  a  long 

302 


Austria   Threatens   Checkmate 

and  tedious  job.  A  messenger  was  therefore  de- 
spatched to  Elba  for  instructions  as  to  the  course 
to  pursue.  A  complete  statement  of  the  situation 
was  sent  to  Campbell.  The  despatch  arrived  the 
day  after  the  attempt  on  the  Cynthia,  and  it  elicited 
the  following  instructions : 

"  Keep  your  force  together  and  do  as  much  harm 
to  the  military  equipment  as  you  can  without  causing 
great  destruction  of  private  property.  Do  not  op- 
erate on  two  successive  days  at  the  same  place  unless 
some  decided  advantage  will  result.  So  far  as  pos- 
sible move  from  place  to  place  in  the  night,  and  let 
your  men  encamp  in  the  daytime  whenever  they  are 
fatigued.  If,  after  attacking  the  Austrian  troops 
one  day,  you  should  appear  at  Berlin  next  morning, 
you  would  probably  find  that  the  army  had  come  out 
of  its  hiding-place,  so  that  it  could  be  again  reached." 

Gheen  proceeded  to  carry  out  this  programme,  with 
even  more  success,  moral  as  well  as  physical,  than 
he  could  have  anticipated.  While  he  is  thus  spread- 
ing alarm,  let  us  return  to  headquarters. 


XIX 
The  Dawn 

IT  was  every  hour  becoming  plainer  to  all  but  the 
most  obstinate  men  that  some  other  policy  than 
that  of  defiance  of  the  new  power  must  be  adopt- 
ed. As  a  first  step  towards  a  change  of  front,  it  must 
be  ascertained  what  terms  of  peace  Campbell  was  dis- 
posed to  demand,  or  what  arrangement  could  be  made 
with  him.  Not  only  men,  but  even  countries,  must 
sacrifice  their  dignity,  at  least  to  the  extent  of  trying 
to  bring  some  inducement  to  bear  upon  him  to  cease 
his  mad  career.  The  first  step  in  this  direction  was 
taken  by  Lord  Worcester,  the  English  Premier. 
Knowing  in  what  intimate  relations  Winthrop  stood 
to  Campbell,  he  addressed  him  through  Secretary 
Bayne,  asking  if  he  could  not  immediately  visit 
London  in  the  Friede,  which  had  been  left  at  his  dis- 
posal, to  confer  with  representatives  of  the  British 
government.  After  an  assurance  that  no  attempt 
would  be  made  to  interfere  with  the  Friede,  the  re- 
quest was  complied  with.  Winthrop  landed  in  Hyde 
Park  the  next  day.  It  was  soon  agreed  that  he 
should  be  one  member  of  a  delegation,  of  which  Lord 

304 


The  Dawn 

Churchill  would  be  the  other,  to  interview  the  Owner 
of  the  Motes  in  the  interests  of  peace. 

Before  starting  Winthrop  explained  the  very  deli- 
cate position  in  which  he  was  placed.  Not  only  was 
lie  the  friend  and  adviser  of  Campbell,  but  he  entire- 
ly sympathized  with  his  objects.  All  he  could  do 
was  to  facilitate  their  being  carried  out  by  negoti- 
ations. With  this  understanding  he  and  Churchill 
proceeded  in  the  Friede  to  Elba. 

"  Let  me  see  him  first,"  said  Winthrop,  "  and  ex- 
plain our  coming  to  him.  Then  I  will  introduce 
you,  and  you  can  say  what  you  please." 

I  need  not  describe  the  greeting  of  the  two  friends 
under  such  circumstances.  For  a  few  minutes  Camp- 
bell was  quite  overcome.  Then  Winthrop  proceeded 
to  business. 

"  I  have  come  to  you  simply  as  the  bearer  of  a 
message.  They  want  you  to  stop." 

"  How  can  I  stop  ?  What  shall  I  do  with  my  force  ? 
Surrender  it?  If  so,  to  whom?  The  power  to 
which  I  surrender  it  will  be  master  of  the  world. 
Can  you  name  any  power  which  the  world  is  will- 
ing to  accept  as  master  ?  My  constant  prayer  is  that 
I  may  look  beyond  the  sea  of  troubles  that  now  rages 
around  me  to  the  haven  of  rest  that  lies  beyond." 

"  I  cannot  gainsay  a  word  you  utter,"  was  the 
reply.  "  I  do  not  want  you  to  stop  until  your  end 
is  gained.  But  now  I  think  the  road  is  open  and 
that  you  can  make  your  own  terms." 

"  You  save  my  life  when  you  say  that.  I  am  so 
u  305 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

worn  that  I  doubt  whether  I  can  stand  this  strain 
for  another  week  and  live.  But  reason  makes  it 
plain  as  day  that  I  must  go  on  and  finish  my  work. 

The  man  who  for  years  had  been  planning  his 
ends  with  infinite  resolution,  who  had  driven  the 
armies  of  Europe  into  caves  and  dens  to  hide  from 
his  power,  was  overcome.  He  sprang  to  his  com- 
panion, embraced  him,  and,  laying  his  head  on  his 
shoulder,  burst  into  tears.  Having  thus  relieved 
his  mind,  he  was  ready  to  talk  with  the  other. 

Lord  Churchill  presented  the  state  of  Europe  in 
strong  colors.  In  Germany  anarchy  reigned  trium- 
phant. Mobs  of  half-starved  workmen  were  march- 
ing round,  and  no  power  could  suppress  their  violence. 
Half  the  city  of  Giessen  had  been  burned  before 
the  frightened  inhabitants  could  defend  themselves 
against  the  attack.  Buildings  in  smaller  towns  were 
almost  everywhere  in  flames.  In  all  the  bourses 
stocks  were  practically  worthless.  Business  of  ev- 
ery kind  was  at  a  standstill.  "  Can  you  not  stop  ?" 

Campbell  felt  that  this  was  the  real  crisis  of  his 
career.  The  appeal  struck  what  he  knew  was  his 
weakest  point.  He  had  always  been  an  implacable 
fighter  as  long  as  his  enemy  kept  up  the  contest. 
But  on  the  first  signs  of  weakening  his  disposition 
had  been  to  go  more  than  half-way  and  surrender 
almost  everything.  Happily,  being  conscious  of 
this  weakness,  he  had  gone  through  a  course  of  self- 
reproof  and  self-discipline,  with  a  view  of  guarding 
against  it. 

306 


The  Dawn 

"  How  can  I  stop  ?  Is  Europe  ready  to  disarm 
voluntarily?  Is  your  government  ready  to  abolish 
its  military  establishment  and  sell  its  navy  to  me 
for  old  iron  ?  If  England  is  ready,  are  France  and 
Austria  ready?  Will  all  the  nations  enact  a  law 
that  there  shall  be  no  more  war,  and  abide  by  it? 
When  they  do  this,  then  I  am  ready  to  stop,  and  not 
before." 

To  these  questions  Churchill  could  give  no  satis- 
factory reply.  He  was  not,  in  fact,  authorized  to 
offer  any  terms  or  propositions  whatever.  All  he 
could  do  was  to  beg  Campbell  to  stop  long  enough 
to  receive  such  communications  as  the  combined 
governments  of  Europe  might  choose  to  make. 

"  I  cannot  stop,"  said  Campbell,  "  until  I  have 
an  assurance  that  not  only  her  Majesty's  govern- 
ment, but  that  of  France,  is  willing  to  acknowledge 
my  authority  as  Defender  of  the  peace  of  the 
World." 

"  I  will  convey  your  answer  to  my  government. 
While  it  is  considering  it,  can  we  not  have  at  least 
a  truce  ?" 

"  I  fail  to  see  how  anything  that  could  properly 
be  called  a  truce  is  possible.  The  very  term  im- 
plies a  combat  the  continuance  of  which  is  harmful 
to  one  or  both  the  opposing  parties,  and  the  cessation 
of  which  will  facilitate  peace.  No  such  combat  is 
going  on.  You  have  placed  in  a  very  strong  light  the 
deplorable  conditions  that  exist  throughout  Europe. 
Would  any  truce  that  I  could  enter  into  better  those 

307 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

conditions?  What  good  would  it  do  if  I  should 
now  bring  my  forces  to  Elba  and  cease  active  oper- 
ations ?" 

"  It  would  at  least  help  to  calm  the  public  mind," 
said  Churchill,  "  prepare  it  to  weigh  the  situation  in 
all  its  aspects,  and  reach  a  conclusion  as  to  the  best 
course  to  pursue  under  the  circumstances." 

"  But  my  force  would  be  as  much  of  a  menace  then 
as  now.  Allow  me  to  repeat  what  I  have  so  often 
tried  to  say,  but  have  never  seemed  to  succeed  in 
impressing  on  men's  minds.  What  the  world  really 
wants  is  not  merely  a  cessation  of  my  operations, 
but  an  assurance  that  motes  shall  never  be  used  in 
warfare  under  any  circumstances.  When  the  world 
is  ready  to  accept  what  I  think  the  only  solution  of 
the  difficulty — one  leading  to  this  assurance — I  am 
ready  to  confer  on  the  subject." 

"  Will  you  kindly  tell  me  more  exactly  what 
course  you  think  will  lead  to  the  end  you  deem  so 
desirable  ?" 

"  I  have  already  pointed  out  what  I  deem  the  only 
available  course.  I  am  deliberating  on  the  details 
of  my  plan,  and  will  make  them  public  as  soon  as 
they  are  matured." 

"  All  Europe  will,  I  am  sure,  be  glad  to  know 
that  you  have  a  definite  plan.  So  far  as  I  can  see, 
nothing  remains  but  to  report  your  attitude  to  the 
authorities  at  whose  request  I  am  here." 

The  two  men  shook  hands  and  parted,  Churchill 
returning  to  London  alone. 

308 


The  Dawn 

Winthrop  had  another  commission — that  of  try- 
ing to  secure  the  release  of  the  Emperor. 

The  regency  that  acted  during  the  absence  of  the 
latter  was  so  far  from  being  animated  by  his  un- 
yielding spirit  that  it  was  ready  to  sacrifice  a  little 
dignity  to  the  exigencies  of  the  situation.  An  ap- 
peal had  therefore  been  made  to  Winthrop  to  secure 
his  aid.  To  accomplish  this,  the  regency  had  for- 
mally annulled  the  order  that  no  quarter  should  be 
shown  to  the  attacking  forces.  To  fulfil  the  condi- 
tions of  release,  it  only  remained  that  the  Emperor 
should  approve  of  this  action.  Campbell  was  glad 
to  accede  to  the  desire  of  the  regency,  and  request- 
ed Winthrop  to  go  to  the  Emperor,  inform  him  of 
the  action  of  the  regency,  and  ask  him  to  approve 
of  it. 

The  Emperor  was  notified  by  his  attendant  that 
a  representative  of  the  Owner  of  the  Motes  desired 
an  audience  on  a  matter  seriously  affecting  his  Maj- 
esty's interests.  After  some  hesitation  Winthrop 
was  admitted. 

"  I  am  here  on  behalf  of  the  Owner  of  the  Motes 
to  advise  your  Majesty  that  the  regency,  acting  in 
your  Majesty's  absence,  has  annulled  the  proclama- 
tion which  you  were  pleased  to  issue,  ordering  your 
army  to  show  no  quarter  to  any  of  the  forces  of  the 
Owner  of  the  Motes  that  might  be  captured.  Should 
your  Majesty  be  pleased  to  acquiesce  in  this  action, 
it  has  been  ordered  that  you  be  returned  to  your 
capital." 

309 


His  Wisdom    the   Defender 

The  Emperor  received  the  announcement  in  sullen 
silence. 

"  Writing  materials  are  here  at  your  Majesty's 
disposal.  At  what  hour  shall  I  return  to  receive 
your  reply?" 

This  question  was  as  unsuccessful  as  the  previous 
statement.  Imperial  dignity  maintained  itself  in 
silence. 

"  If  your  Majesty  has  no  reply  to  make,  I  will 
bid  you  adieu." 

The  single  word  "  adieu  "  was  uttered  in  reply. 

A  calmer  and  more  self-possessed  man  than  Win- 
throp  never  existed,  hut  he  had  a  hard  struggle  with 
himself  as  he  returned  and  reported  the  ill-success 
of  his  mission. 

"  What  would  you  do  with  such  a  man  ?"  inquired 
Campbell. 

"  I  would  pour  a  bucket  of  cold  water  over  his 
head,  morning^and  night,  until  he  yielded.  Mean- 
while, he  should  be  kept  in  solitary  confinement  and 
not  allowed  to  see  even  his  attendant." 

"  And,  just  to  think,  I  had  intended  to  send  him 
home  in  the  finest  mote  I  could  spare — perhaps  the 
Cynthia  itself — with  his  imperial  standard  floating 
upon  it,  in  order  that  the  German  people  might  see 
that  I  not  only  bore  him  no  ill-will,  but  was  disposed 
to  show  their  monarch  every  honor.  But  let  us 
look  at  the  situation  calmly.  We  have  a  more  seri- 
ous problem  before  us  than  that  of  punishing  the 
most  obstinate  of  men.  We  expect  the  Germans  to 

310 


The  Dawn 

come  under  our  system,  and  the  only  question  is,  how 
we  can  best  bring  it  about. " 

"  Perhaps  it  is  better  that  we  should  be  governed 
entirely  by  reason  and  show  no  irritation  at  all,  but 
it  goes  very  hard  on  the  flesh  to  do  so.  It  is  too  late 
to  act  to-night;  let  us  see  how  we  shall  feel  on  the 
subject  to-morrow  morning." 

Next  morning  it  was  decided  to  send  the  Emperor 
home,  and  there  release  him,  but  to  dispense  with  the 
unnecessary  exhibition  of  the  imperial  standard  over 
his  mote. 

"  Is  it  necessary  that  either  of  us  should  communi- 
cate our  decision  to  him '?" 

"  No,"  said  Winthrop,  "  I  certainly  want  to  have 
nothing  more  to  do  with  him,  and  I  am  sure  you 
agree  with  me.  Just  send  a  messenger  mote  after 
him,  and  let  the  messenger  inform  the  attendant  what 
he  has  come  for.  The  slowest  of  your  motes  can 
easily  reach  Berlin  before  nightfall." 

A  messenger  was  sent  for  and  ordered  to  get  his 
mote  in  readiness  for  conveying  the  Emperor  to 
Berlin.  He  was  then  to  go  to  the  house  where  he 
was  imprisoned,  inform  the  attendant  of  his  mission, 
and  signify  to  the  Emperor  his  readiness  to  execute 
the  mission  with  which  he  had  been  charged. 

The  attendant,  overjoyed  at  the  news,  conveyed 
the  message  to  his  royal  master. 

"Was  will  Majestat?"  he  inquired,  with  that 
respectful  familiarity  which  marks  the  intercourse 
of  a  valet  with  his  king. 

311 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

The  Emperor  hesitated  long  before  replying. 
When  Winthrop  had  called  upon  him  the  night  be- 
fore, as  the  representative  of  the  Owner  of  the  Motes, 
he  felt  that  it  was  a  slur  upon  his  imperial  dignity 
that  the  Owner  had  not  called  in  person.  After  his 
return  he  put  this  forward  as  the  reason  of  his  dis- 
courteous reception  of  Winthrop. 

"  I  should  have  been  glad  to  call  on  his  Majesty 
in  person,"  said  Campbell,  when,  long  afterward, 
this  sentiment  of  the  Emperor  was  made  known  to 
him,  "  but,  do  you  suppose  he  would  have  treated  me 
in  any  way  different  from  what  he  treated  Winthrop  ? 
I  do  not  believe  that  he  would,  and  this  is  the  reason 
that  I  did  not  go  in  person." 

Now  the  Emperor  felt  that,  partly  through  his  own 
proceedings,  a  yet  greater  indignity  was  done  him. 
Neither  his  captor  nor  a  representative  was  sent  to 
inform  him  that  he  would  be  set  at  liberty,  but,  in- 
stead of  this,  he  had  to  receive  the  information 
through  an  underling.  But  for  the  demands  of  the 
situation  he  would  have  adhered  to  his  policy  of 
grim  silence  and  refused  to  move;  but  he  felt  that 
this  would  be  almost  suicidal.  The  interests  of  his 
empire  imperatively  demanded  his  presence  at  his 
capital,  and  he  had  gone  as  far  as  was  prudent  in 
his  defiance  of  the  power  which  held  him  in  captiv- 
ity. His  conscience  told  him  that  he  had  brought 
this  new  humiliation  upon  himself,  and  that  he 
had  better  make  the  best  of  his  situation.  So  he 
told  the  attendant  that  they  would  pack  up  their 

312 


The   Dawn 

few  belongings  and  leave  in  the  proffered  convey- 
ance. 

During  the  rapid  passage  northward  through  the 
clouds,  the  first  sentiment  of  the  Emperor  was  natu- 
rally that  of  nervous  fear.  Then,  as  their  frail  con- 
veyance seemed  as  secure  as  a  boat  floating  on  a 
river,  his  curiosity  got  the  better  even  of  his  imperial 
dignity,  and  he  eagerly  questioned  the  messenger, 
not  only  as  to  the  system  on  which  the  motes  were 
run,  but  as  to  what  he  could  tell  him  of  the  course 
of  events  during  his  captivity. 

The  telegraph  had  conveyed  the  news  in  advance 
of  the  mote,  but  had  given  no  information  as  to  where 
the  landing  might  be  effected.  It  was  thought  pru- 
dent to  leave  this  matter  to  the  judgment  of  the  con- 
ductor. Had  the  place  of  landing  been  announced 
in  advance,  there  was  no  telling  but  that  the  German 
authorities  might  have  availed  themselves  of  the  op- 
portunity to  seize  the  mote  and  every  one  in  it.  To 
guard  against  this  the  conductor  landed  them  in  the 
centre  of  the  Thiergarten,  before  any  one  saw  them 
coming.  The  Emperor  was  told  that  he  was  at 
liberty.  His  few  belongings  were  rapidly  thrown 
out,  and  the  mote  returnedv  to  its  station. 


XX 

The  Proclamation 

THE  fire  which  had  been  raging  for  more  than 
a  month,  threatening  to  destroy  civilization 
itself,  seemed  at  last  to  be  burning  itself  out. 
The  weak-minded  people  had  all  gone  crazy,  leaving 
only  those  who  could  keep  their  heads  to  look  after 
the  world's  affairs.  The  mobs,  exhausted  by  their 
efforts,  had  begun  to  take  a  rest,  and  were  being  fed 
by  a  concerted  plan  to  give  them  work  whenever  it 
could  be  found.  Merchants  and  brokers  were  taking 
account  of  stock,  and  waiting  for  something  to  turn 
up.  The  news  that  the  aerial  force  had  encamped, 
now  here  and  now  there,  or  had  caught  some  unwary 
regiment  venturing  out  for  exercise,  was  almost  get- 
ting to  be  monotonous.  Statesmen  actually  began 
to  think  over  the  situation  and  consult  on  plans. 
The  only  men  who  kept  their  faculties  at  the  highest 
tension  were  the  journalists,  who  found  that  their 
presses  no  longer  had  to  run  all  day  and  all  night 
to  supply  the  public  demand,  and  tried  to  keep  this 
demand  from  falling  off  too  rapidly. 

Two  of  the  world's  great  powers  stood  unchanged 
314 


The  Proclamation 

in  their  attitude  because  they  had  never  been  carried 
off  their  feet  by  the  storm.  They  were  Secretary 
Bayne  and  the  London  Times.  The  former  took 
the  ground  that  he  had  nothing  to  do  in  the  case 
but  perform  his  duty  and  execute  the  laws.  So  he 
had  made  a  formal  requisition  on  the  Italian  gov- 
ernment for  the  extradition  of  one  Alexander  Camp- 
bell, a  fugitive  from  justice  in  the  United  States, 
who  had  fled  to  Italian  territory,  and  he  now  awaited 
an  answer  to  this  demand.  The  Times  adhered  to 
its  position  that  the  men  who  were  disturbing  the 
peace  should  be  treated  as  outlaws,  and  condemned 
the  course  of  the  government  in  allowing  Churchill 
to  hold  negotiations  with  their  leader. 

But  the  world  began  to  change  its  point  of  view. 
In  spite  of  all  the  Times  could  say,  Churchill's  inter- 
view and  the  restoration  of  the  German  Emperor  to 
his  throne  were  both  looked  upon  as  auspicious 
events.  From  the  former  it  was  learned  that  a  propo- 
sition looking  to  peace  might  soon  be  expected  from 
the  great  disturber.  The  past  and  the  present  were 
almost  forgotten  in  the  eager  cry,  What  will  it  be? 
Men  had  not  long  to  wait. 

The  question  was  answered  by  a  proclamation  such 
as  they  had  never  before  heard.  It  appeared  in  all 
the  journals  of  the  world;  messengers  flew  with  it 
to  every  capital ;  all  mankind  read  it,  for  to  them  it 
was  addressed. 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 


"THE    DEFENDEK    OF    THE    PEACE    OF 
THE  WORLD  TO  ALL  MANKIND 

"  GREETING: 

"  The  fulness  of  time  being  come  when  war 
should  cease  and  all  mankind  dwell  together  in 
amity; 

"  And  I,  being  vested  by  Almighty  God  with 
power  to  prevent  the  movements  of  armies,  the  sail- 
ing of  navies,  and  the  prosecution  of  war  by  any 
agency; 

"  And  believing  that  this  power  can  best  be  exer- 
cised under  an  official  name  and  title ; 

"  Now,  THEREFORE,  know  all  men  that  I  have  cre- 
ated and  assumed,  and  do  by  these  presents  create, 
and  for  myself  and  my  successors  assume,  the  office, 
title,  and  functions  of 

"  DEFENDER  OF  THE  PEACE  OF  THE  WORLD. 

"  And  to  the  end  that  the  office  of  Defender  may 
be  so  executed  as  to  secure  the  independence  of  all 
nations,  the  liberty  of  individuals,  and  the  general 
welfare  of  humanity,  I  do  enact  and  publish  the  stat- 
utes hereto  appended,  to  be  obeyed  and  enforced  by 
the  Defender  as  the  supreme  law  of  the  world  until 
they  shall  be  amended  or  repealed  in  the  manner 
therein  set  forth. 

"  GIVEN  UNDER  MY  HAND  AND  SEAL  this  f our- 
316 


The  Proclamation 

teenth  day  of  July,  1946,  at  my  seat  at  Uraniburg, 
in  the  island  of  Elba. 

"  CAMPBELL, 

"  Defender." 

The  accompanying  statutes  were  promulgated 
under  five  titles.  The  first  consisted  of  definitions 
showing  the  exact  sense  in  which  various  expressions 
occurring  in  the  statutes  should  be  construed;  the 
second  related  to  the  political  functions  of  the  De- 
fender; the  third  to  his  control  over  the  motes;  the 
fourth  to  the  administration  of  his  revenues,  and  the 
fifth  to  miscellaneous  matters  pertaining  to  future 
conferences  among  nations,  his  council,  and  the 
modes  of  amending  the  statutes. 

In  Title  I.  confederate  nations  were  defined  as 
those  who  should,  by  the  act  of  their  highest  legisla- 
tive bodies,  adopt  the  statutes  as  their  supreme  law, 
and  who  should,  in  pursuance  of  this  act,  have  abol- 
ished their  military  and  naval  establishments.  An 
army  was  defined  as  any  organized  body  of  men  armed 
with  deadly  weapons  to  be  used  on  the  bodies  of  their 
fellow-men.  To  guard  against  too  wide  a  construc- 
tion of  the  term  "  deadly  weapon,"  this  again  was 
defined  as  a  weapon  specially  designed  to  inflict  mor- 
tal wounds,  thus  excluding  all  appliances  suitable 
only  for  a  police  force. 

We  give  the  statutes  of  Title  II.  in  full: 

"  AETICLE  I. 

"  There  shall  be  no  more  war. 
317 


His  Wisdom    the    Defender 


"  There  shall  hereafter  be  no  armies  or  navies 
except  those  which  the  Defender  shall  adjudge  to 
be  necessary  to  the  protection  of  life  and  property. 

"  ARTICLE  III. 

"  The  Defender  shall  ever  recognize  and  never 
abridge  those  rights  which  peoples  enjoy  under  the 
law  of  nature  and  of  nations.  The  basic  principle 
of  this  law  shall  be :  The  earth  belongs  to  the  people 
who  inhabit  it,  and  every  part  of  the  earth  belongs 
to  the  people  who  inhabit  that  part,  subject  to  such 
restrictions  as  imperfect  civilization,  the  develop- 
ment of  customs  and  institutions,  and  the  necessity 
of  promoting  the  general  welfare  may  render  neces- 
sary. In  pursuance  of  this  law,  the  following  rights 
of  nations  and  peoples  shall  forever  be  recognized : 

"  The  right  on  the  part  of  each  independent  nation 
to  continue  its  ancestral  form  of  government  under 
its  chosen  or  accepted  rulers  from  generation  to  gen- 
eration forever; 

"  The  right  by  peaceable  measures  to  change  this 
form  of  government  from  time  to  time  when  its  peo- 
ple, in  their  wisdom,  shall  deem  such  change  con- 
ducive to  their  welfare ; 

"  The  right  to  manage  its  own  internal  affairs  in 
its  own  way,  and  to  regulate  its  dealings  with  the 
rest  of  the  world  according  to  its  own  judgment,  sub- 
ject to  such  treaties  as  it  may  for  good  reason  and 

318 


The  Proclamation 

valuable  consideration  have  voluntarily  entered  into, 
and  to  such  general  regulations  as  may  be  establish- 
ed to  promote  the  general  welfare. 

"  The  corresponding  rights  of  dependent  peoples 
shall  be : 

"  To  be  humanely  governed  in  accordance  with 
their  laws  and  traditions; 

"  To  become  a  sovereign  and  independent  nation 
when  they  shall  so  desire,  and  when  it  shall  be  shown 
to  the  Defender  that  their  welfare  may  thus  be  pro- 
moted. 


"  The  Defender  shall  not  take  part  in  enforcing 
the  laws  of  any  nation  or  state,  nor  shall  he  act  as  a 
ruler  of  men  outside  the  limits  of  his  seat,  unless 
temporarily,  to  arrest  or  cure  a  condition  of  anarchy ; 
but  notwithstanding  these  and  other  restrictions  he 
may  protect  life  and  property  against  unlawful  de- 
struction whenever  required  by  the  interests  of 
humanity. 

"  ARTICLE  V. 

"  The  Defender  shall,  whenever  requested  by  the 
parties  in  dispute,  arbitrate  any  question  at  issue 
between  nations  or  peoples.  In  pronouncing  his 
award  he  shall  state  the  facts  and  expound  the  law 
on  which  his  conclusions  are  based ;  but  he  shall  never 
award  exemplary  damages  nor  impose  humiliating 

conditions. 

319 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 


"  Whenever  it  shall  appear  to  the  constituted  au- 
thorities of  a  confederate  nation  that  any  policy  or 
proceeding  of  the  Defender,  contemplated  or  actual, 
is  injurious  to  the  interests  of  said  nation,  or  not 
in  accord  with  equity ;  or  if  it  shall  appear  that  the 
Defender  can  adopt  any  policy  or  perform  any  act 
that  will  promote  the  interests  of  such  nation  without 
injury  to  any  other  nation,  then,  in  every  such  case, 
the  said  authorities  shall  have  the  right  to  make  to  the 
Defender  such  representations  on  the  subject  as  shall 
to  them  seem  meet.  To  all  such  representations  the 
Defender  shall  give  respectful  attention,  and,  if  he  is 
unable  to  comply  with  any  wishes  which  may  be  thus 
expressed,  he  shall  set  forth  the  reasons  for  such  non- 
compliance. 


"  The  Defender  shall  have  the  right  to  choose 
and  appropriate  to  his  own  use  such  place,  places, 
region,  or  regions,  as  he  shall  deem  suitable  for  his 
seat ;  but  not  more  than  two  hundred  thousand  square 
miles  shall  be  taken  for  this  purpose  from  the  ter- 
ritory of  any  nation  without  the  consent  of  said 
nation. 


"  The  Defender  shall  have  sovereign  and  plenary 
power  to  govern  his  seat,  and  shall  enjoy  the  right 
of  eminent  domain  over  its  territory. 

320 


The  Proclamation 


"  The  Defender  shall  not  use  his  power  in  the 
propagation  of  any  form  of  religious  belief,  wor- 
ship, or  observance. 


"  ARTICLE  X. 


"  The  Defender  shall  not  enter  into  any  secret 
treaty  or  arrangement  with  any  nation  or  power 
whatever;  nor  shall  he  take  any  measures  which 
might  injuriously  affect  the  interests  of  any  nation 
without  giving  due  notice  of  his  intentions. 


"  Neither  the  Defender  nor  any  of  his  officers  of 
state  shall  accept  any  present  or  mark  of  distinction 
from  any  political  personage  or  power." 

The  mutation  of  public  opinion  during  the  next 
week  is  so  well  reflected  in  the  comments  of  the  Lonj 
don  Times  that  it  will  be  sufficient  to  give  an  extract 
from  its  editorial  columns  for  each  day  of  the  week 
following  the  issue : 

Wednesday,  July  15. — "  If  this  aspirant  for  a 
more  than  royal  eminence  supposes  that  any  official 
notice  will  be  taken  of  his  utterance,  he  has  less 
sagacity  than  has  been  supposed.  It  is  difficult  to 
see  what  object  he  had  in  view  in  issuing  this  paper. 
He  is  and  must  remain  an  outlaw.  How  soon  the 
guardians  of  order  in  Europe  and  America  shall 
x  321 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

get  possession  of  his  motes  and  execute  their  laws 
upon  his  person  is  merely  a  question  of  time." 

Thursday,  July  16. — "  Those  who  read  the  stat- 
utes which  the  so-called  Owner  of  the  Motes  issues 
with  his  proclamation  will  view  his  mad  proceedings 
with  even  greater  regret  when  they  notice  that  the 
imagined  laws  really  have  some  features  worthy  of 
consideration.  That  a  man  capable  of  framing  a 
law  of  any  sort  should  have  entered  upon  such  a 
reckless  course  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  situ- 
ation." 

Friday,  July  IT. — "  One  cannot  study  these  al- 
leged statutes  without  being  surprised  at  the  restric- 
tions which  their  f ramer  has  thrown  around  his  own 
power.  Seen  by  the  side  of  his  mad  and  reckless 
proceedings,  the  contrast  is  most  striking.  It  seems 
quite  likely  that  if  referred  to  an  international  con- 
vention, many  features  of  these  laws  might  be  ac- 
cepted with  advantage." 

Saturday,  July  18. — "  The  destruction  of  the  mil- 
itary power  of  at  least  Germany  and  Russia  and 
the  reduction  of  that  of  Austria  to  bodies  of  half- 
armed  soldiers  hiding  from  the  enemy  wherever  they 
can  get  shelter  are  accomplished  facts  which  we  shall 
be  wise  to  recognize.  The  question  what  we  should 
do  to  promote  the  national  interests  is  one  to  be 
calmly  studied  with  a  view  to  the  future  rather  than 
the  past." 

Monday,  July  20. — "  The  interview  of  Lord  Car- 
digan with  the  self-styled  Defender  must  be  regarded 

322 


The    Proclamation 

as  in  every  way  gratifying.  Nothing  could  be  more 
admirable  than  the  utterance  of  philanthropic  senti- 
ments and  expressions  of  regard  for  law  by  a  man 
who,  from  our  point  of  view,  has  violated  all  law. 
If  Campbell  adheres  to  the  construction  he  puts  upon 
his  proposed  statutes,  neither  the  political  nor  com- 
mercial interests  of  Great  Britain  in  any  part  of  the 
world  will  be  endangered.  Under  the  proposed  law 
the  inhabitants  of  British  India  are  regarded  as  a 
dependent  people,  and  no  restriction  is  placed  upon 
England's  methods  of  governing  them  which  is  not 
in  strict  accord  with  England's  practice.  His  Maj- 
esty's Indian  Empire  cannot  be  erected  into  an  in- 
dependent government  under  these  laws,  except  on 
the  condition  of  a  desire  for  such  independence  on 
the  part  of  the  Indian  people,  and  a  demonstration 
that  their  welfare  will  thus  be  promoted.  It  is 
difficult  to  anticipate  the  time  when  both  of  these 
conditions  will  be  fulfilled;  but,  if  it  should  come, 
Great  Britain  will  no  longer  insist  on  her  sway." 

Tuesday,  July  21. — "  The  policy  of  his  Majesty's 
government  in  meeting  the  new  conditions  will  meet 
with  the  approval  of  all  sensible  men.  An  un- 
equalled opportunity  is  offered  us  to  assume  that 
leading  position  which  every  loyal  British  subject 
must  desire.  By  promptly  accepting  the  situation 
as  it  is,  British  commerce  will  be  extended  into  the 
very  centre  of  Asia  and  Africa,  and  a  new  impetus 
will  be  given  to  the  enterprise  of  our  people." 

Wednesday,  July  22.— "  The  bill  introduced  by 
323 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

the  government  into  Parliament  last  evening  recog- 
nizing the  functions  of  the  Defender  of  the  Peace 
of  the  World,  accepting  his  statutes,  and  providing 
for  the  abolition  of  his  Majesty's  military  and  naval 
establishments,  is  one  which  will  commend  itself  to 
general  approval. 

"  The  prompt  action  of  the  United  States  govern- 
ment in  the  same  direction  shows  a  wise  appreciation 
of  the  new  conditions.  The  Defender's  propositions 
were  accepted  and  embodied  into  law  by  the  almost 
unanimous  vote  of  both  Houses  of  Congress.  Among 
those  in  power,  the  only  dissenting  voice  was  that  of 
Mr.  Secretary  Bayne,  who  vigorously  adhered  to  the 
position  he  had  taken — that  the  government  could 
not  recognize  one  of  its  own  citizens,  especially  a 
fugitive  from  justice,  in  the  position  assumed  by  the 
Defender.  The  wisdom  of  Congress  in  refusing  to 
accept  this  view  is  shown  by  the  rumored  proceedings 
of  the  Defender  in  constituting  a  council,  of  which 
one  of  America's  most  eminent  citizens,  President 
Winthrop,  is  to  be  the  head. 

"  It  is  rumored  from  Berlin  that  the  German  gov- 
ernment is  seriously  considering  the  question  of  ac- 
cepting the  new  system.  The  first  nation  to  adopt 
this  measure  will  not  only  set  an  excellent  example 
to  the  rest  of  the  world,  but  will  naturally  be  the 
leading  nation  for  many  years  to  come.  Prompt 
action  by  Parliament  is  therefore  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance. A  multitude  of  details  will  have  to  be 
settled,  but  these  can  well  be  left  to  the  future." 

324 


The   Proclamation 

The  German  government  was  moved  in  the  same 
direction  by  a  motive  yet  more  urgent  than  any  that 
could  be  felt  in  England.  It  is  true  that  the  Em- 
peror was  still  smarting  under  the  indignity  of  hav- 
ing been  seized  and  imprisoned.  But  a  situation 
stared  him  in  the  face  which  called  for  action. 
France  had  never  ceased  to  deplore  the  loss  of  Alsace 
and  Lorraine.  The  statue  of  Strasburg  in  the  Place 
de  la  Concorde  at  Paris  still  wore  the  weeds  of 
mourning  in  which  it  had  been  draped  more  than 
seventy  years  before.  The  ineffectual  attempt  to 
recover  the  provinces  which  had  been  made  in  the 
meantime  had  served  to  keep  alive  the  national  feel- 
ing of  France  on  the  subject.  Now  all  that  was 
wanted  to  gain  the  object  was  the  consent  of  a  single 
man.  If  Campbell  chose,  he  could  in  a  single  day 
disarm  the  German  troops  in  the  two  provinces  and 
turn  them  over  to  France.  He  could  say  to  France, 
Take  them  for  yourself;  I  will  not  interfere.  The 
armies  already  being  mobilized  in  the  eastern  depart- 
ments were  sufficient  to  overcome  the  feeble  and 
demoralized  German  garrisons.  There  was  no  course 
left  open  but  to  accept  the  situation  and  make  the 
best  of  it.  A  bill  to  this  effect  was  introduced  into 
the  Keichstag,  and  was  passed  by  an  almost  unani- 
mous vote. 


XXI 
Rah!    Rah!    Rah!    the    Defender! 

THE  man  for  whom  there  had  been  erstwhile 
nothing  but  execration  was  now  the  hero 
who  had  guaranteed  peace  and  liberty  to  all 
the  world  by  a  system  of  laws  that  nothing  could 
subvert. 

All  nations  were  hurrying  into  the  fold  as  fast 
as  their  methods  of  legislative  procedure  would  ad- 
mit. As  they  did  so,  each  received  a  formal  invi- 
tation to  send  delegates  to  a  world's  congress, 
which  should  be  charged  to  revise  and  amplify  the 
Defender's  statutes  as  might  be  necessary.  The 
council  of  the  Defender  met  daily  to  consider  the 
multifarious  questions  raised  by  the  new  order  of 
things. 

Among  the  questions  under  discussion  at  one  of 
these  meetings  was  that  of  the  title  by  which  the 
Defender  should  be  addressed.  The  invention  of  a 
suitable  one  was  no  easy  task.  "  Your  Majesty  " 
was  clearly  inappropriate,  because  it  belonged  to  a 
ruler  of  men — a  function  which  the  great  actor  had 
from  the  beginning  been  entirely  sincere  in  repudi- 

326 


Rah!    Rah!    Rah!    the    Defender! 

ating,  and  of  which  he  had  forbidden  the  exercise 
in  his  statutes.  "  Highness  "  and  "  Excellency  " 
were  too  common  and  would  not  mean  anything,  even 
if  adjectives  without  end  were  added.  Some  one 
suggested  "  Greatness." 

"  That  suggests  too  strongly  the  idea  of  a  little 
man  stuck-up/7  said  Campbell.  "  My  inclination 
would  be  to  dispense  with  any  title  whatever.  I 
have  always  felt  that  expressions  implying  superior- 
ity on  the  one  side  and  inferiority  on  the  other  were 
not  appropriate  in  the  Golden  Age  which  we  are  now 
inaugurating.  At  the  same  time,  I  recognize  the 
fact  that  human  nature  and  the  habits  of  thought 
and  expression  which  have  come  down  to  us  from 
our  ancestors  cannot  be  speedily  altered.  Assum- 
ing, then,  that  a  title  must  be  found,  the  matter 
presents  itself  to  my  mind  in  this  way:  The  most 
appropriate  title  is  one  expressive  of  the  qualities 
which  we  suppose  the  person  addressed  ought  to  pos- 
sess. Why  is  a  king  called  '  His  Majesty '  ?  Be- 
cause the  quality  implied  by  that  word  is  the  one 
which  a  monarch  should  show  in  the  eyes  of  his  peo- 
ple. Nothing  is  more  appropriate  to  the  head  of  a 
state  than  '  Majesty.'  Why  do  we  call  the  Pope 
'  His  Holiness '  ?  Because  holiness  is  the  quality 
which  is  implied  in  his  position. 

"What  attribute,  then,  is  the  most  appropriate 
to  the  position  which  I  have  assumed?  It  seems 
to  me  that  there  can  be  but  one  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion. What  I  need  more  than  anything  else,  and 

327 


His  Wisdom   the   Defender 

what  I  pray  God  to  imbue  me  with,  is  wisdom. 
Why  should  not  the  Defender  be  called  '  His  Wis- 
dom'?" 

The  suggestion  was  received  with  enthusiasm. 
The  council  arose  as  one  man,  the  members  went  for- 
ward and  grasped  the  hands  of  their  leader. 

"  We  congratulate  '  Your  Wisdom  '  on  the  position 
he  has  assumed,  and  on  the  brilliant  prospect  which 
is  before  him.  May  he  long  adorn  his  exalted  posi- 
tion and  enjoy  unbroken  success  in  the  administra- 
tion of  his  office." 

As  soon  as  the  crowd  without  heard  the  news,  it 
took  up  the  cry  of  "  Long  life  to  His  Wisdom  the  De- 
fender !"  The  cry  spread  through  the  length  of  the 
island  as  fast  as  sound  could  carry  it.  "  God  bless 
his  Wisdom  the  Defender!"  As  the  news  flew  over 
the  electric  wires  by  land  and  sea,  every  point  which 
it  reached  resounded  with  the  cry  of  "  All  Hail  His 
Wisdom  the  Defender !"  The  students  assembled  in 
the  grounds  of  Harvard  shouted  with  their  clarion 
voices,  "Rah!  Rah!  Rah!  the  Defender!"  As  the 
sun  went  its  round  the  cry  rose  from  every  continent 
and  from  all  the  islands  of  the  great  ocean  in  every 
language  spoken  by  man. 

A  yet  more  human  interest  in  the  great  character 
was  stirred  up  when  it  became  known  that  it  had 
been  responsive  to  the  gentler  sentiments  of  our  hu- 
manity, and  that  the  world's  most  beautiful  palace 
was  to  be  presided  over  by  one  of  the  most  lovely 
of  her  sex.  How  did  it  come  about?  This  is  the 

328 


Rah!    Rah!    Rah!    the   Defender! 

one  great  secret  of  Uraniburg  which  has  never  been 
divulged,  and  which  men  were  too  much  occupied 
with  passing  events  to  pry  into.  Hardly  a  month 
after  the  cry  we  have  described,  another  rose  with 
equal  volume  — "  All  Hail  Her  Wisdom  the  De- 
fendress !" 

Why  should  we  go  on  with  a  history  known  to 
every  school-child  ?  Not  an  intelligent  youth  in  this 
land  but  can  tell  something  of  the  great  world's 
congress  and  its  work;  how  the  principle  that  every 
people  —  the  weak  as  well  as  the  strong  —  should 
enjoy  liberty  and  independence  was  established  and 
accepted  by  all;  how  the  strongest  nations  found 
their  interests  and  the  welfare  of  their  people  pro- 
moted by  the  submission  of  all  disputes  to  a  common 
arbitrator;  how  the  fact  that  a  nation  could  extend 
its  trade  to  every  land  without  the  use  of  force  was 
proved  by  experience,  until  men  came  to  wonder 
that  any  other  policy  had  ever  been  pursued. 

And  one  need  not  even  go  to  school  to  learn  what 
the  Def endress  did  for  suffering  humanity  —  how, 
commanding  the  great  wealth  of  the  Anita  Company, 
she  became  such  a  Sister  of  Mercy  to  the  afflicted  of 
the  world  that  as  long  as  she  lived,  and  after  her 
death,  she  was  called  in  every  language  of  the  world 
"  Tiana  the  Blessed." 


THE    END 


BY  H.  GK  WELLS 


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